The fifth Test between India and England, scheduled to begin today in Manchester, has been canceled, according to the England and Wales Cricket Board. Initially, the ECB issued a statement stating that India “forfeit the match” after being “unable to form a squad.” However, England’s board of directors quickly released a new statement, removing the mention of India forfeiting the fifth and final Test.
Already, the Manchester Test appeared to be in jeopardy after India’s head coach Ravi Shastri, as well as his bowling and field coaches, tested positive for the COVID-19 virus on the fourth Test’s final day at The Oval cricket stadium. As time went on, more and more members of the Indian team tested positive. It wasn’t until yesterday night that the ECB decided to put their foot down and request for the match to be postponed.
1. Team India Forfeits 5th Test
If the BCCI prioritizes the IPL above the Test series, the Indian cricket team may suffer a defeat in the fifth Test. The urgency comes from the touring side since the ECB is OK with the match being postponed. If the two cricket boards cannot come to an agreement and the Men in Blue quit the series in the middle, it will be considered a forfeit and the series will conclude in a 2-2 draw.
2. 2022
Because the second phase of the IPL 2021 will begin on September 19, it seems obvious that the match will not be postponed for the following week. In addition, the T20I World Cup begins on October 17th. The remaining Tests will most likely be played in July 2022, when India visits England for a white-ball series.
3. 5Th Test Gets Scraped
If a Test is canceled owing to severe weather or other naturally occurring difficulties, the match is not considered as legally taking place, according to the rule book. If the timeframes do not match up with the timetables of the two teams, the fifth match will be canceled, giving Virat Kohli and the Men in Blue a 2-1 series advantage. This would be the first time they had won a Test series in England in over 14 years.
