The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) held its Apex Council Meeting on Sunday in which the board decided to take a call on the domestic season after further discussions with state units. New Zealand will tour India as part of preparations for the 2021 WT20. Speaking to ANI, sources present in the meeting said that while a final call is yet to be taken on the hosting of Ranji Trophy or the Vijay Hazare trophy, it was announced that New Zealand will tour India with an eye on the T20 WC.
"We are yet to take a final call on the domestic season and we have to see if we will have the Ranji Trophy or the 50-over format. The state associations did show keen interest to have the Vijay Hazare, so a call will be taken soon. The bubble system shall remain the same as is being used in the Mushtaq Ali Trophy," the source said.
Asked about the plan to host New Zealand, the source said it was part of India's plan to prepare for the T20 World Cup. "The venues and detailing will be done in some time. But the idea is to play maximum T20 games with an eye on the T20 World Cup. It will help the boys prepare," the source pointed.
The other major items on the agenda were discussion on tax solution for ICC T20 World Cup; discussion on the NCA project; hiring of personnel for NCA, Bengaluru and for BCCI headquarters at Mumbai; discussion on matters related to ICC's 2023-2031 cycle; update on Bihar Cricket Association.
The ICC cycle 2023-2031 holds a lot of interest as the BCCI is also looking to extend the IPL to a 10-team affair and that will see them needing a bigger window.
The tax issue was earlier also discussed in the BCCI Annual General Meeting on December 24 and it was decided that secretary Jay Shah and treasurer Arun Dhumal would speak to the government to find a way forward in the matter.
"We are set to host the 2021 T20 World Cup as well as the 50-over World Cup in 2023. We need to speak to the government to see if we can get tax exemption and for this, we have decided that our secretary Jay Shah and treasurer Arun Dhumal will speak to the government.
"If the government does not agree, we will then decide on how to go about it. We also have the 2016 World T20 matter pending, so that will also have to be worked out," a member who attended the meeting had said.
The idea remains the same. As for the NCA, hiring will start as the BCCI looks to restart the zonal camps and all grassroots activities in the post-coronavirus era.