BCCI8217;s new plan: A tour before the tour

BCCI have planned a series of India A tours for fringe players to acclimatise to foreign conditions.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI have planned a series of India A tours for the fringe players to acclimatise to foreign conditions before the senior team tours abroad. India A will leave for South Africa on August 4 to play a tri-series featuring Australia A and later two four-day games against a South Africa A side. The A tour is being looked at as a practice tour for young players who might board the flight with the senior India side later this year when they tour South Africa for a Test series.

The BCCI is also in talks with the England and Wales Cricket Board ECB for an India A tour in June 2014,just before India arrives in England in July. Sources in the board told The Indian Express that the BCCI8217;s cricket operations manager Suru Nayak is in talks with John Carr,director of operations,ECB,to have an India A tour next year after the IPL.

8220;ECB has agreed to host India A next year and things are in the planning stage now. It will help our youngsters to acclimatise to conditions well before the main tour and if any young player travels with the national side,it won8217;t be the first experience for him. Atleast he will have some idea about the conditions abroad,8221; a BCCI official close to the development said.

The Indian team will be touring with a young side post the retirement of stalwarts like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. The BCCI has always been criticised for lack of planning especially when their team flies abroad. 8220;Generally,before every away Test series,India used to play one or two practice games. Now,with an A tour,these boys will have no excuse of being new to the conditions. They will have a fair idea when they travel with the Indian team,8221; the source added.

The BCCI though has made it clear that they won8217;t have any A tours during India8217;s domestic season while henceforth all off-seasons will be packed with tours,including trips for the under-19 team.

The New Zealand A team is scheduled to tour India in September followed by West Indies A later on. The latter series may clash with the Champions League T20.

8220;Last year we had India A tour to New Zealand and West Indies and now they will travel here. However,West Indies A tour will clash with CL T20. Just after India A return from South Africa trip,we will play with NZ A side and later with West Indies A,8221; source added.