Explaining why southern venues are better suited for winter fixtures, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said fog-free conditions would ensure uninterrupted play.
Explaining why southern venues are better suited for winter fixtures, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said fog-free conditions would ensure uninterrupted play.Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday urged BCCI Executive Board vice-president Rajeev Shukla to consider shifting winter cricket matches scheduled in North India to the southern states, citing persistent fog disruptions and naming Kerala as a viable alternative.
The suggestion followed the abandonment of the fourth T20 International between India and South Africa in Lucknow due to heavy fog. India currently leads the five-match T20I series 2-1, with one match remaining.
“Rajiv ji, I was saying that apart from scheduling matches in North India in January, Kerala aaiye (come to Kerala),” Tharoor told the media.
Responding to the proposal, Shukla said, “Woh scheduling mein dhiyan dena padega (the scheduling will have to be looked into). From December 15 to January 15, can we allocate matches to South India instead of North India? Kerala already gets them; there is a rotation policy in place.”
When Shukla pointed out that all matches could not be allotted to Kerala alone, Tharoor laughed and added, “Humaare liye accha rahega naa (it will be good for us).”
Explaining why southern venues are better suited for winter fixtures, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said fog-free conditions would ensure uninterrupted play. “If the ball is not visible, how will we play? That is what I am saying—come to South India, where this issue of pollution does not exist at all. There is no fog here. The ball will be clearly visible, we will play well, and cricket fans will not have any reason to be upset,” he said.
Earlier, Shukla had acknowledged the broader scheduling challenge posed by winter fog, particularly in North India. “The match had to be cancelled due to fog. The people were upset about it. We will need to review the scheduling of matches between 15 December to 15 January in north India to determine whether we need to shift them to south India or west India. Domestic matches are also being affected due to fog. It is a serious issue,” he told ANI.
The exchange has once again drawn attention to the recurring problem of fog-related disruptions during the winter cricket season in North India.
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