What’s the story?
Former secretary of Odisha Cricket Association Asirbad Behera has quashed all reports regarding the ‘lack of planning' on the part of Odisha Cricket Association for the second ODI between India and England. He also said that the entire travel plans of both the teams were "pre-scheduled".
"Due to unavailability of hotel accommodation for the players, it was decided much in advance that the players would arrive here just a day before the match and BCCI was aware of it ever since itinerary was fixed," Behera said to PTI.
In case you didn’t know...
According to several reports which surfaced both the teams could not arrive in Cuttack owing to lack of availability of hotels which were occupied and there were no rooms available to accommodate the teams.
The rooms would be available from Wednesday, and both teams would thus arrive on January 18. This lack of planning received flak from all quarters, and hence this statement would go a long way in clearing the air.
The heart of the matter
Both teams stayed back in Pune, the venue of the first ODI, and took part in preparations. However, the teams would now look to get acquainted with the conditions in Cuttack, as there would be a significant change in weather conditions.
The first ODI in Pune had a terrific turnout and the OCA is optimistic that they would receive a similar response. The series is poised beautifully as India pulled off an amazing run chase in Pune and now England would have to make the running.
According to reports, the tickets have been sold out and the frenzy surrounding the match is unprecedented. However, it should be mentioned that the last time the Indian team played an International match in Cuttack, crowd trouble forced two interruptions in play during the second T20I, which forced the Indian team to concede the match by six wickets in the end. Play was held up for more than 50 minutes during South Africa's chase after a section of the crowd started hurling plastic bottled onto the playing area.
What next?
After the unfortunate crowd incident, the last thing Cuttack needed was this hotel trouble. However, the OCA sounds confident and this bodes well for the match. Also, India is riding a wave of momentum and this makes the contest very interesting.
Sportskeeda’s Take
The BCCI is not having the best of times when it comes down to administration, and these incidents only add further problems. Hopefully, the match is played in a cordial atmosphere and the players feel comfortable, which at the end of the day plays a crucial role in their performances on the field.
