Given that it is a World Cup year, one of the key recommendations from the BCCI review meeting was the management of workload around the IPL, and fans quickly remembered former India captain Virat Kohli’s words before the last ODI World Cup, saying that he was always ahead of the time.
Before the 2019 World Cup, former Indian captain Virat Kohli advised players to be smart and manage their workload during the IPL and make their own decisions, which the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has recommended following its meeting on Sunday, January 1. Workload management has been an issue for the Indians in recent years, and due to tight scheduling, the management has no choice but to rest a few of their key players in a series here and there.
Apart from several other factors, the process hasn’t really helped India because the players have missed a few series and thus haven’t played enough international cricket with each other, which eventually hurts the side in the ICC event, particularly the knockouts. “With the Men’s FTP and preparations for the ICC CWC 2023 in mind, the NCA will work in collaboration with the IPL Franchisee to monitor the targeted Indian players participating in the IPL 2023,” the BCCI added in a statement.
The fans remembered Kohli’s words before the World Cup in 2019 the moment the board released the key takeaways from the review meeting. Kohli stated that communication was conducted with the players on how to manage their workload wisely, inform the franchise, and maintain contact with the physio. Kohli then clarified his statement, saying that he didn’t mean that players shouldn’t play in the IPL or that it should be the focus, but rather that they should be smart about it.
“All the workload will be monitored during the World Cup – and given a window, the guys can afford to rest. I can guarantee it because the World Cup occurs every four years and we compete in the IPL every year. We will remain committed to the IPL, but we must be prudent. We must strike a balance and make sound decisions. The player bears the responsibility and the onus. Nobody will be compelled to do anything. “Eventually, everyone will realise that no one wants to miss the World Cup and jeopardise the team’s balance,” Kohli said ahead of the IPL 2019.
Kohli’s words from nearly four years ago were resurfaced on Sunday, with fans claiming that the former captain was way ahead of his time.
