More on the Pak tour(-worma)

So after the news of Asia Cup postponement (and rightly so) comes the news that Rahul Dravid has been consulted about the Pak tour itinerary. Wow, that's a first, I must say. And Dravid, after consultation with the team seniors etc, has responded with a request for a delayed start. Asking for a more reasonable gap between the Dec 22 end of SL tour and Jan 1 start of the Pak leg. The final word on the agreed complete schedule is awaited...and I eagerly wait to see if more attention has been given to the warm-up fixture as well.

Meanwhile, more on the Asia Cup postponement...Telegraph, it seems, is not satisfied with the cricketing reasons behind it.

Meanwhile, as expected, with India deciding against participating in the February 16-28/March 1 Asia Cup in Pakistan, the tournament has had to be deferred indefinitely. A report in this paper had indicated just that.

Pawar gave no reason, while talking to the media in Mumbai, but not everybody will be convinced that cricket reasons alone led to India going back on an undertaking given by the previous dispensation.

Whatever the reasons, IMO, it gives our team the breathing space and time to sit down and analyze the strategy for the all important England series. And especially so since Pakistan-England series was played entirely during our own assignments against SL, SA which means that the English performance in Pakistan needs to be revisited to work out a strategy for their subcontinental game plan..and while at it..maybe even get Sanjay Manjereker to help out...since he was one of the commentators on the Pakistan-England series.

Update: It seems the revised Pakistan tour schedule, after taking inputs from the players, has already been announced. It starts on januray 6th instead of 1st, and the warm-up match is a three day fixture (instead of a 2 day quickie incorporated earlier). It also seems that the postponement of Asia Cup also came following requests from the players to this effect.

The BCCI's Executive-In-Charge, Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, said the previous two tours between India and Pakistan have been `high intensity' events and the players felt that the Asia Cup, squeezed in between the Pakistan and home series against England, would take a heavy toll.

And this from our captain

The Indian team will return from Pakistan on February 20 and rest for a few days before preparing for the home series against England. "It's good to know that the schedule (Pakistan tour) is spaced out,'' said Rahul Dravid.

Well...so much for the theory of 'non cricketing' reasons for postponement!