A rule which is set to be brought in by the International Cricket Council (ICC) could give logistics nightmares to the cricket boards which prefers to send large contingents to several global tournaments. Teams like India, England and Australia are known to send a big contingent to ICC events, but now the governing body has decided to put a cap on it.
As per reports of Mumbai Mirror, the world body has decided to wield the axe on the size of the squads, which now cannot exceed 23 members. Previously a squad of 25 was permitted.
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Previously, for one ICC event, England had sent a 28-member team. The Indian squad, that is currently touring New Zealand, has 28 members – 15 players, four coaches, two throwdown specialists, one trainer, one physio, two masseurs, one manager, one media manager and one logistics manager.
The rule has already come into force and the ongoing ICC event in South Africa (Under 19 World Cup) and one that is to start in Australia on February 21 (Women’s World Twenty20) are either already following the guideline or will do it.
This rule will also not allow extra members of a squad to travel with the contingent, even if it is at the expense of the member boards. This means India will no longer have the luxury of traveling with extra players as they did with Dhawal Kulkarni, who was the unofficial 16th member of MS Dhoni’s India squad in 2015 World Cup.
Rishabh Pant was the unofficial member of the squad for a brief period during last year's World Cup in England where he was brought in as back-up for the injured Shikhar Dhawan.
ICC has brought this new rule to lessen the logistical burden on the hosting nation. But the team who are used to traveling with extra support staff might have a problem with this ruling of the governing body.
The decision, it is learnt, was taken at a board meeting in 2018.
(Mumbai Mirror inputs)
