Of course this is about the IPL but I have a lot of sympathy with Indian players: Nasser Hussain

Former England skipper Nasser Hussain has opined that the upcoming second half of the 2021 IPL played a major role in getting the fifth Test between India and England canceled.

Hussain felt that the BCCI were concerned about heavy financial losses they would incur if the IPL had to be postponed further in the case of players contracting Covid-19 during the Manchester Test.

💬It's a really sad day and my heart goes out to the fans.💬ECB chief executive Tom Harrison says there are "no winners" on a "sad day for Test cricket" after the Old Trafford Test was cancelled.📺 Watch on Sky Sports Cricket 👉 https://t.co/fk7UysTMen pic.twitter.com/O5uPqAxWzC

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 10, 2021

Nasser Hussain, while speaking on Sky Sports, gave his views on the canceled match. He said:

"Initially, the BCCI was always very concerned about this Test match. They wanted everything moved to make sure the IPL is a huge financial issue hanging over the game, over Indian cricket. They have already moved it, then moved it half of it this time around. Of course, this is about the IPL, but this is about players who are thinking: If get down positive here now, today, I have to do another 10 days.”

The second phase of IPL will commence on September 19 with the contest between CSK and MI in Dubai.

Is the fifth Test cancellation about the IPL?@nassercricket and @Athersmike join @WardyShorts to discuss the reasons for the Old Trafford Test being cancelled.📺 Watch on Sky Sports Cricket 👉 https://t.co/fk7UysTMen pic.twitter.com/cx2A79TlKe

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 10, 2021

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"The physio would have been treating all the players with some sore bodies ahead of a fifth Test match" - Nasser Hussain

Nasser Hussain then sympathized with the Indian players' situation, highlighting their point of view. In this regard he said:

"I have a lot of sympathy with the Indian players as they've had two physios, who tested positive for Covid-19. The second one would have been treating all the players with some sore bodies ahead of a fifth Test match. You cannot do physiotherapy without close contact. Even those players have tested negative a couple of times now, the incubation period means they are worried that two or three days into the Test match they test positive and three or four players go down."

Both the physios of Team India recently tested positive for Covid-19. Several players may have come into contact with the physios, and as a result they were not keen to continue with the match as more cases could potentially crop up during the course of the Test.