In order to ensure safety of the players and smooth organisation of the upcoming limited-overs tour of India by the West Indies, the authorities at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have decided to reduce the number of venues from six to two, with Ahmedabad and Kolkata to host the six matches ― three ODIs and three T20Is.
India is currently in the middle of the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic with the highly infectious Omicron variant causing a huge spike in numbers, which has reduced movement of the general public in most of the big cities in the country. The BCCI wants to ensure that the upcoming India versus West Indies series is safe from such threats and reduced travel between cities will be a wise move in this regard.
According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, Ahmedabad is likely to host the three ODIs between India and West Indies while Kolkata will be the host for the three-match T20 international series.
Another reason why BCCI has reworked on the plan is because of the upcoming mega auction of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which will be held on February 12 and 13. As per the original schedule, India and West Indies are slated to play their third ODI on February 12. A final decision on the same will be announced after BCCI’s discussion with Cricket West Indies.
As per the original schedule, three ODIs were to be held on February 6, 9 and 12 in Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Kolkata respectively. Similarly, the three T20Is were to be played on February 15, 18 and 20 in Cuttack, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram.
Additionally, Sri Lanka are set to take on India right after the conclusion of the series against West Indies and such an arrangement will ensure safety and protection from threats of the pandemic. The Indian cricketers would then get busy with the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 after the conclusion of the series against Sri Lanka.