BCCI planning to field two teams simultaneously as India to play more bilaterals before T20 WC: Report

Team India have an action-packed calendar before the T20 World Cup, which is set to be held in Australia later this year. Before the national side gears up to face Sri Lanka in the three T20Is at home, as per a report, BCCI is planning to field more teams parallelly as more bilateral series have been added to Rohit Sharma-led India's schedule prior to the showpiece event Down Under.

After India host Sri Lanka in three T20Is and two Tests, the Indian players will take part in IPL 2022, which will be followed by five home T20Is versus South Africa, a one-off T20I versus hosts Ireland and fifth and final Test (from the incomplete 2021 series) against England, in the United Kingdom. India will then reportedly travel to West Indies and Zimbabwe. The Asia Cup will also take place during the same time, hence, the Indian cricket board might field two teams simultaneously; with a second-stringed team playing against Ireland and Zimbabwe.

"The discussions on bio-bubble breaks have already started. Every player has been communicated about the busy itinerary. They have been given time to think about when they would like to take a break. It's likely a depleted side will travel to Zimbabwe. Ideally, the Asia Cup will be the right tournament to play the first team, in order to get combinations right before the T20 World Cup," a BCCI official was quoted as saying by TOI.

During the last calendar year, Indian team had also played two sides parallelly when Virat Kohli's Test side were in England whereas Shikhar Dhawan-led Men in Blue travelled to Sri Lanka for a white-ball series, during mid-July 2021. Before that, India had fielded two teamsat the same time during 1998 as well -- with one participating in the Commonwealth Games and the other in the Sahara Cup.