Having been requested over the usage of its facilities again following COVID-19 hiatus, Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has sought permission from the Maharashtra government to allow the players bound to travel to UAE for the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to train in the city, says the report published by The Indian Express.
Nadeem Memon and Kiran Powar, the two apex council members, of whom Powar is also representative of the Indian Cricketers Association (ICA), had sent an official request to MCA president Vijay Patil on this matter.
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The Indian Express report further states, "the MCA sent another reminder to the Maharashtra government with a copy of the Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) formulated by the Indian board (BCCI) last week, seeking permission to start cricket training in the city."
It is understood that Ajinkya Rahane had verbally asked for MCA’s permission to use its facilities for training, which unfortunately had to be denied due to the ongoing pandemic.
Besides Rahane, Mumbai's Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw, Shivam Dubey, Shardul Thakur, Aditya Tare, and Suryakumar Yadav are due to travel for IPL 2020 as well. India and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper, Virat Kohli, also resides in Mumbai and has used MCA facilities for training a number of times.
The MCA, which boasts of multiple international venues in the main city as well as grounds in suburbs, hasn't held any cricketing activity since March. The scene is different for other state bodies, however, who have allowed players to do training in their facilities. The Mumbai Indians (MI), of which Rohit is the captain and Surya Kumar Yadav a batsman, had also arranged a practice session for its cricketers.
Accessed by The Indian Express, in the e-mail sent by Memon to apex council members, it is written that the MCA should make available its facilities for IPL players.
"Government of Maharashtra has allowed jogging and running in open grounds. Last five months, cricketers are at home and need to start fitness by running and jogging," Memon wrote.
Since clubs in the suburban areas have allowed members to use their facilities for walking and jogging, Memon argued, that the MCA should follow suit.
Power stated that with the BCCI planning to start the next domestic season in November, the MCA must consider clearing the use of training facilities for the senior state team at the earliest.
"My request is that our senior team should start training at BKC indoor facility in small groups of 3 to 5 and on alternate days," he wrote.
