The fifth and final Test between India and England scheduled to be played on Friday, September 10, was cancelled due to Coronavirus scare in the Indian camp.
Former England cricketer Mark Butcher said that cancelling the match was very disappointing to all the cricket fans as they will miss out on fantastic Test cricket.
"Tremendously disappointing for all the cricket fans. It has been an incredible series. India are a fantastic team. They have given England a real run for their money in their home conditions. Everybody was wondering to see how this one was going to pan out," said Butcher to Sky Sports.
He wondered if the second leg of Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) which begins on September 19 had a role to play in India calling off the match.
"There are also other factors I suppose to think of. People would be talking about the fact that the IPL restarts in the UAE on the 19th and any sort of further postponement to the Test match would push the Indian players and English players that are involved in it beyond the start of the competition.
"Also, should any of the Indian players who are in the side sort of then test positive in the meantime, don't forget Ravi Shastri the Indian coach and some of the backroom staff were tested positive during The Oval Test match,” he added.
The former player said that there are a lot of factors that have to be considered and added that it was a shame the series came to an abrupt stop.
"I believe the team physio has gone down in the last day or so. Then they would have to quarantine for further 10 days in the UK before leaving. There are all kinds of factors that play at the moment. The overriding thought for me is that it is an absolute shame that this series is not gonna play out the way it was meant to," added Butcher.
Butcher expressed sympathy towards Indian players and said that most players have been in England since June and in bubbles since the Australian tour in December last year.
"There is a little bit of sympathy in me in terms of the Indian players, most of them who have been on the road since before the start of the Australia series over Christmas and New Year.
"Yes, they were at home to play the series against England in February, but they were in very very strict bubbles then. They have been in UK since the World Test Championship final against New Zealand back in June-July,” he said.
He concluded saying he understands bubble fatigue but stuck to his statement that the cancellation was disappointing to the fans.
"I can imagine some of the players locked up in their rooms have had an absolute gutful and just wanna get out. However, that does not gonna sort of dim any of the disappointment for the fans and the amount of money involved in putting these Test matches on. So, it's a real shame, a real shame," signed off Butcher.
(With IANS inputs)
