Former cricketer Madan Lal said the Indian cricket team will benefit from the fact that T20Is in the tour of South Africa have been postponed as the Men in Blue are currently in the groove of playing Test matches.
On Saturday, the 90th Annual General Meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) happened in Kolkata and it was decided at the meeting that India's tour of South Africa, 2021-22, will proceed with revised dates and itinerary.
The team will participate in a three-match Test series followed by a three-match ODI series starting December 26. Originally the tour was slated to begin on December 17. The tour which was also supposed to consist of four T20Is, will now be played at a later date.
"I think BCCI has done the right thing by postponing the SA tour. Players will also get rest and we will come to know about the situation also in some time. It is a good decision even though CSA are giving all the assurance," Madan Lal told ANI.
"It is good for India as T20Is are postponed because players are in a groove to play Test matches," he added.
About the new variant of COVID-19, Madan said: "Players are always going to be scared of new variant (Omicron). In your mind, you always feel that if there is something we might catch that. But at the same time, CSA has given assurance and they want series to happen."
The age limit of match officials and support staff has also been increased to 65 from 60 years subject to their fitness in the AGM meeting. "I don't know why they have changed the age of match officials from only 60 to 65 they can do it for 70 also if they are fit. There are different rules for different people," the former India national coach said.
Madan Lal was a member of the 1983 Cricket World Cup-winning India squad and on December 24, Harrdy Sandhu will appear as the former in '83'. Helmed by director Kabir Khan, '83' revolves around India's historical 1983 Cricket World Cup win. The movie features Ranveer Singh as Kapil Dev, captain of the World Cup-winning team.
"All the parents and their kids should watch this movie. This is one of the biggest motivational movie, ever made in the history of Indian cinema. Because people learn a lot of things from this movie like 'against all the odds, you can still make it.' That's what happened with the 83 Indian cricket team," he said.
"Hardy Sandhu has also played cricket so it won't be difficult for him to copy my action. He has done a good job. He is a good singer also. So more the merrier," Madan Lal concluded.
( With inputs from ANI )
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