The recent Test series defeat to New Zealand on home soil has prompted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to revive its ‘A’ programme, which aims to develop a strong bench of players for the Indian cricket team.
The ‘A’ programme, which was a dynamic initiative under former NCA head Rahul Dravid, involved touring with developmental teams throughout the year. However, the programme suffered after the COVID-19 lockdown, as other countries refused to bear the expenses of hosting India’s U-19 and ‘A’ teams.
NCA head VVS Laxman is now working on a plan to create a player resource pool. The BCCI has tried to organize a couple of shadow ‘A’ tours, such as the one that preceded India’s Test tour of Australia. Laxman is exploring ways to provide greater exposure to the next generation of cricketers.
Other boards are reluctant to host ‘A’ series, which do not generate revenue for them. The expenses must be borne by the local board. The BCCI needs to find a way to make these tours affordable.
Earlier this year, an ‘A’ series against England Lions was held just ahead of England’s tour of India. The series provided the selectors with valuable insights into the players’ abilities. The board also needs to ensure that Emerging tournaments and other series do not coincide with the Ranji Trophy, as this can impact the quality of the competition.
The impact of the ‘A’ programme was evident during the last tour of Australia, where players like Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, and Washington Sundar stepped up in the absence of senior players.
