BCCI's request for Virat Kohli should not be accepted by Cricket Australia: Allan Border

Former Australian captain Allan Border has slammed India for playing mind games over the India vs Australia tour schedule. The Australian veteran has asked Cricket Australia to discard any request from the BCCI to move the New Year's Test of India vs Australia 2020 tour from its customary date to January 7. The BCCI had recently requested Cricket Australia to postpone the Boxing Day Test by a few days to ensure that players get more rest in between games.

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India vs Australia tour schedule: Allan Border accuses BCCI of playing mind games

While speaking to Fox Sports, Allan Border feels that BCCI's request to Cricket Australia shouldn't be a negotiated scenario. Allan Border further said that if the request would have been made because of what is happening globally due to COVID-19, then it would have been understandable. However, he added that if it’s just because they want a bit of a spell between Boxing Day and the New Year’s Test match, then that’s rubbish.

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Allan Border opined that the Boxing Day and New Year Tests had been played on the same schedule for years without any issue. He reckoned that it works a treat through that Christmas-New Year period which is why he wouldn’t be comfortable with it moving just because India want a couple of extra days off. The 156-Test match veteran also said that it is BCCI's double standards to expect Cricket Australia to change the schedule of the India vs Australia 2020 according to their needs.

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The BCCI's request could also be because of Indian captain Virat Kohli, who recently announced alongside wife Anushka Sharma that they were expecting their first child in January 2021. The birth of Virat Kohli's child coincides with the dates of India vs Australia 2020 series. Virat Kohli might also wish to return home to be present for his first child’s birth. It will be interesting to see how Cricket Australia responds to BCCI's request. It is possible that the home board agrees to the request as Kohli is believed to draw the maximum eyeballs during the tour of Australia, which is also key in making the host broadcaster happy. At present, according to many Australian media reports, it is believed that the India tour is at the pivot of Cricket Australia's problems with Channel Seven.

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SOURCE: CRICKET AUSTRALIA TWITTER