Harbhajan Singh Questions India's T20 World Cup Preparation; Attributes Issues to 'IPL Scheduling'

Team India won't have a proper training camp for the T20 World Cup until after the IPL 2024 final on May 26. The T20 World Cup starts on June 2, and India hasn't clinched an ICC trophy since 2013.

In a significant decision, England's cricketers won't participate in the IPL 2024 playoffs as they prioritize preparation for the T20 World Cup. Before the ICC tournament, England will compete against Pakistan in a four-match T20I series. Consequently, IPL enthusiasts will miss out on witnessing players such as Phil Salt and Jos Buttler in action beyond the league phase.

🚨India’s squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 announced 🚨

Let's get ready to cheer for #TeamIndia #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/jIxsYeJkYW

— BCCI (@BCCI) April 30, 2024

Unlike the ECB, the BCCI hasn't called the Indian team for a training camp, favoring the IPL instead. Harbhajan Singh, former Indian bowler and cricket expert affiliated with the IPL's official television broadcaster, expressed his disappointment with the IPL's schedule. He expressed hope that the BCCI would adopt the ECB's approach for future ICC tournaments. Singh shared these thoughts on the Star Sports Press Room Show.

Harbhajan Singh noted the challenge of gathering the entire team for matches due to the IPL schedule. However, he highlighted the upcoming two games in America before the tournament begins as a positive opportunity for preparation.

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Harbhajan Singh suggested that having 4-5 warm-up matches against top teams like England or Australia in America would have been beneficial for India to adapt to the conditions for the T20 World Cup. However, it seems unlikely to happen. Nonetheless, he emphasized the importance of making the most of the limited preparation time available, indicating that the upcoming two games should be maximized. Singh also recommended that in the future, teams should ideally spend 10-15 days playing together before major tournaments like the World Cup or WTC for better cohesion and preparation.

India will kick off their T20 World Cup journey on June 5, being placed in Group A alongside Canada, Ireland, Pakistan, and the USA. Their opening match is against Ireland on June 5, scheduled to take place at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.

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