Mumbai: Vocal about the need for more gap between Ranji Trophy matches last year, Mumbai captain and India allrounder Shardul Thakur has given a thumbs-up to the concept of a break between the two legs of the Ranji Trophy for white-ball tournaments, implemented by the BCCI since last season. The first leg of the Ranji Trophy, involving five matches, concluded on Wednesday (Nov 19), and will now resume on Jan 22, with the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy (starting from Nov 26) and Vijay Hazare Trophy (on Dec 24) scheduled in between. Citing the example of how the England & Wales Cricket Board too schedules a break for white-ball matches in between the County Championship, Thakur asserted that playing “10 first-class games in a row is tough on the bodies” of the players. “There would always be mixed views on it, but I’m okay with it. To play 10 first-class games in a row is tough on the bodies of the players. We have also seen how the schedule is in the UK. The ECB conducts around seven-eight first-class games in a row and then they keep playing after a break, putting some white-ball games in between. So that keeps everyone mentally fresh. Otherwise, you’re just playing one format for three months and then suddenly white-ball cricket, and then red-ball cricket is lost,” Thakur told reporters on Wednesday, after leading Mumbai to a resounding innings-and-222-run win over Pondicherry in their Elite Group D Ranji Trophy match. “So, it’s good that we are playing five games and we have a bit of a break, and then we play white-ball tournaments, then again we come back and then we again play red-ball cricket. So that way, everyone stays in touch. They stay on top of both the red-ball and white-ball game mentally,” asserted the 34-year-old. Thakur felt that this was perfect preparation for international cricket for India’s domestic cricketers because, at the top level, they are required to switch between formats regularly. “With experience, I’m sure everyone would learn how to switch on and switch off, because eventually, when they go and play for the country, whether they play for India A or the national side, they will have to switch between the formats in bilateral series. So yes, this is perfect preparation,” he said. “Also, players who are playing first-class cricket throughout the year would have had 14 first-class games potentially with the India A games, Irani Cup, Duleep Trophy, or even more. So, a bit of a break in between, switching the formats is always good,” stressed the Mumbai skipper.
