'BCCI don't have infinite wealth' BCCI slams Virat Kohli's 'Bio Bubble concerns'

Mumbai: India completed an all format sweep against England at home recently, with back to back bio bubbles of IPL 2020, Australia tour and home tour of England Virat Kohli raised concerns over the hectic schedule for the players in the post match presentation of the final ODI between India and England at Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium. A BCCI official slams Virat Kohli's 'Bio Bubble concerns'.

"As I said, a couple of days ago as well, scheduling is something that needs to be looked at in the future," Kohli had said during the ceremony. "Because playing in bubbles for so long, two-three months is going to be very, very difficult going forward."

Expressing his hopes of seeing a change in the schedule, the skipper added: "You can't expect everyone to be at the same level of mental strength… Sometimes you do get cooked, and you do feel like a bit of change. I'm sure that things will be discussed and things will change in the future as well."

But BCCI officials have slammed Virat Kohli over this issue.

Speaking with ANI, the official said: “Firstly, contrary to assumptions, the BCCI’s wealth is not infinite. Secondly, the stock of the domestic cricketers deserves a greater amount of attention, especially when the outcome of the review of player payments that was undertaken about three years back was quite ad-hoc and was skewed heavily in the favour of a few while bypassing those who were made the poster boys of that review.”

“Thirdly, there is an increase in the number of state associations who have a steep task facing them to develop the game in their regions which they had not done earlier and this is in addition to the existing associations who have been struggling to meet their own standards with the shakeup that has taken away experience across the board,” he explained.

“Everything is screaming for financial correction at the moment but the thing that has left the largest impact is the COVID-19 pandemic and the reduction in matches as a consequence thereof. Add to it the varying quarantine rules and you have a situation that is not in control of the BCCI, but must be strictly adhered to by the BCCI.”

The official then went on to talk about how Kohli had nothing to say about the completely packed Indian Premier League schedule and that it can be “presumed” that the batsman is fine with it.

“Kohli has raised a very important point while talking about international games where he spoke about the importance of scheduling, going forward and he does have the luxury to raise this point. But he has not expressed any reservations regarding the scheduling of the IPL, so one presumes that he is okay with that and the possible increase in the number of games once the two new teams are added later this year,” he expressed.

“One needs to bear in mind that a reduction in international matches means a reduction in the revenue of the BCCI and consequently a reduction in the revenue of the state associations and the domestic players. The revenue of the contracted players of the BCCI is insulated even if there is a reduction in the number of home international games, but the revenue of the others is not,” he also mentioned.

By the series of events, Virat Kohli is being questioned about him not having issues with tight IPL schedule because of the 'hefty money' involved in the league. But he has series issues with the National team schedules.

Ironically Virat Kohli gets paid more than twice of the annual BCCI contracts

(7 CR) in the IPL(17 CR). No wonder BCCI officials have raised the question for Virat not having issues where more money is involved.