India should opt for standalone tests overseas instead of playing all 3 formats in 1 go

[Gollum]

I think one of the biggest reasons why Asian teams struggle in SENA countries is the length of the series. As such overseas assignments are very challenging but when you are stuck there for 2-3 months it becomes even more taxing. I don't care about other Asian countries but BCCI needs to take this into account.

 

Mostly when Australia, England, NZ or SA tour India they come just for the tests or just the white ball stuff. Very rarely do you see them come to our shores for 2.5-3 months playing all 3 formats. SA (2015) and NZ (2016) tried that recently but got burnt out by the end, taking course correction SA will come to India for a 3 test series next year and will play the ODIs/T20s a year after that. It is simply unsustainable to have such long tours, away from family/friends in an alien environment. Check England's recent India tours (including their highly successful one in 2012), either they played standalone tests or had a longish Christmas/New Year break before the ODI series (25-30 days gap !!!!!). Australia last played a combined series in 2001, remember Bevan winning them the decider in Goa. Apart from 1-2 instances SA and NZ have planned their tours to India similarly. Problem is even if you schedule the tests 1st, the all format players will already feel mentally fatigued before the 1st ball is bowled like how we lose hope when we sit to study for an exam and look at the syllabus ......if you schedule tests at the fag end, again fatigue cum chances of injury/niggles.

 

This year we tour Eng for 5 tests as well as ODIs/T20s. Same in Aus in spite of the fact that we toured there for separate ODI/T20 series in 2016...should have stuck to the 4 tests and played ODIs/T20s after a longer gap. In England the additional complexity is shift from Kookaburra to the Dukes within 1 week, 2 diametrically opposite balls. If we are serious about winning tests (and occasionally a few series also) on a regular basis in SENA countries we must prepare much better. Schedule tests separately and play only FC warm ups (11 a side, serious prep) , none of the white ball supplementaries or for that matter the 15 a side red ball exhos (time pass nonsense). BCCI is the richest cricket board in the world, then why the * are they clumping all formats together? Do they do it to save airfare/hotel costs? Do broadcasters have that big a say? Hosts would love Team India to stay there for an extended period purely for commercial reasons (broadcast, tourism etc) but BCCI should have the intelligence/courage to say no and stand for the Indian players. At least on 2 occasions (pre 2015 WC, 2016 Eng) even Kohli raised this issue along the lines that even he would want his side to get a decent amount of rest between the longer and shorter formats.

Edited May 30, 2018 by Gollum

[Gollum]

Before someone brings up this year's SA tour as an example of us finishing strongly, I will say that had we come just for the test series we would have been able to plan a proper preparation routine for the test series.

[Switchblade]

7 hours ago, Gollum said:

I think one of the biggest reasons why Asian teams struggle in SENA countries is the length of the series. As such overseas assignments are very challenging but when you are stuck there for 2-3 months it becomes even more taxing. I don't care about other Asian countries but BCCI needs to take this into account.

 

Mostly when Australia, England, NZ or SA tour India they come just for the tests or just the white ball stuff. Very rarely do you see them come to our shores for 2.5-3 months playing all 3 formats. SA (2015) and NZ (2016) tried that recently but got burnt out by the end, taking course correction SA will come to India for a 3 test series next year and will play the ODIs/T20s a year after that. It is simply unsustainable to have such long tours, away from family/friends in an alien environment. Check England's recent India tours (including their highly successful one in 2012), either they played standalone tests or had a longish Christmas/New Year break before the ODI series (25-30 days gap !!!!!). Australia last played a combined series in 2001, remember Bevan winning them the decider in Goa. Apart from 1-2 instances SA and NZ have planned their tours to India similarly. Problem is even if you schedule the tests 1st, the all format players will already feel mentally fatigued before the 1st ball is bowled like how we lose hope when we sit to study for an exam and look at the syllabus ......if you schedule tests at the fag end, again fatigue cum chances of injury/niggles.

 

This year we tour Eng for 5 tests as well as ODIs/T20s. Same in Aus in spite of the fact that we toured there for separate ODI/T20 series in 2016...should have stuck to the 4 tests and played ODIs/T20s after a longer gap. In England the additional complexity is shift from Kookaburra to the Dukes within 1 week, 2 diametrically opposite balls. If we are serious about winning tests (and occasionally a few series also) on a regular basis in SENA countries we must prepare much better. Schedule tests separately and play only FC warm ups (11 a side, serious prep) , none of the white ball supplementaries or for that matter the 15 a side red ball exhos (time pass nonsense). BCCI is the richest cricket board in the world, then why the * are they clumping all formats together? Do they do it to save airfare/hotel costs? Do broadcasters have that big a say? Hosts would love Team India to stay there for an extended period purely for commercial reasons (broadcast, tourism etc) but BCCI should have the intelligence/courage to say no and stand for the Indian players. At least on 2 occasions (pre 2015 WC, 2016 Eng) even Kohli raised this issue along the lines that even he would want his side to get a decent amount of rest between the longer and shorter formats.

[LORD_analyst]

16 hours ago, Gollum said:

I think one of the biggest reasons why Asian teams struggle in SENA countries is the length of the series. As such overseas assignments are very challenging but when you are stuck there for 2-3 months it becomes even more taxing. I don't care about other Asian countries but BCCI needs to take this into account.

 

Mostly when Australia, England, NZ or SA tour India they come just for the tests or just the white ball stuff. Very rarely do you see them come to our shores for 2.5-3 months playing all 3 formats. SA (2015) and NZ (2016) tried that recently but got burnt out by the end, taking course correction SA will come to India for a 3 test series next year and will play the ODIs/T20s a year after that. It is simply unsustainable to have such long tours, away from family/friends in an alien environment. Check England's recent India tours (including their highly successful one in 2012), either they played standalone tests or had a longish Christmas/New Year break before the ODI series (25-30 days gap !!!!!). Australia last played a combined series in 2001, remember Bevan winning them the decider in Goa. Apart from 1-2 instances SA and NZ have planned their tours to India similarly. Problem is even if you schedule the tests 1st, the all format players will already feel mentally fatigued before the 1st ball is bowled like how we lose hope when we sit to study for an exam and look at the syllabus ......if you schedule tests at the fag end, again fatigue cum chances of injury/niggles.

 

This year we tour Eng for 5 tests as well as ODIs/T20s. Same in Aus in spite of the fact that we toured there for separate ODI/T20 series in 2016...should have stuck to the 4 tests and played ODIs/T20s after a longer gap. In England the additional complexity is shift from Kookaburra to the Dukes within 1 week, 2 diametrically opposite balls. If we are serious about winning tests (and occasionally a few series also) on a regular basis in SENA countries we must prepare much better. Schedule tests separately and play only FC warm ups (11 a side, serious prep) , none of the white ball supplementaries or for that matter the 15 a side red ball exhos (time pass nonsense). BCCI is the richest cricket board in the world, then why the * are they clumping all formats together? Do they do it to save airfare/hotel costs? Do broadcasters have that big a say? Hosts would love Team India to stay there for an extended period purely for commercial reasons (broadcast, tourism etc) but BCCI should have the intelligence/courage to say no and stand for the Indian players. At least on 2 occasions (pre 2015 WC, 2016 Eng) even Kohli raised this issue along the lines that even he would want his side to get a decent amount of rest between the longer and shorter formats.

very important topic....also playing test cricket with limited overs  leads to mixing of formats...like batsmen selected for tests on the basis of loi's performances.

[The Dark Horse]

$$$$ is the reason/answer.

[KaushikfromDelhi]

This is a bad suggestion. With ODI/T20s following tests in foreign tour, at least we have something to look forward to after losing test series. If we don't have this, we will return as loses not having one anything. That's why SA tour was a success since we dominated the limited overs games after losing two straight tests and surrendering the test series right away. 

 

In ENG tour also I wish ODIs/T20s came after test since we could return on a high. We all know ENG would not care as much for the ODIs/T20s if they have won the tests, so perfect time for us to strike. 

[Gollum]

13 hours ago, KaushikfromDelhi said:

This is a bad suggestion. With ODI/T20s following tests in foreign tour, at least we have something to look forward to after losing test series. If we don't have this, we will return as loses not having one anything. That's why SA tour was a success since we dominated the limited overs games after losing two straight tests and surrendering the test series right away. 

 

In ENG tour also I wish ODIs/T20s came after test since we could return on a high. We all know ENG would not care as much for the ODIs/T20s if they have won the tests, so perfect time for us to strike. 

What a defeatist mentality, you want Eng to lose to us when they aren't motivated? 

 

Besides bilateral ODIs/T20s have lost relevance, play 2nd fiddle to WC/CT/WT20/Asia Cup/IPL etc. I want us to win overseas test matches, I don't care about us returning as losers provided we try our best to win the tests. IMO the SA series was a decisive defeat for us, just like how SA's 2015 India tour was a triumph for Team India. 5 months back SA won the Freedom Trophy in just 7 days of cricket while in 2015 we stopped SA's 9 year unbeaten overseas run and handed them a thrashing for the ages. 

[Pace90]

I agree, its not tiring only for players, also loses some attraction for the viewers. Keep watching match against the same team for months, loses it charm. I followed the ashes but did not follow white ball cricket after that, it was too much.