Anil Kumble Disagrees with Harbhajan Singh on T20 WC Scheduling

Anil Kumble, a former Indian cricket player and Team India head coach, provided an alternative perspective to Harbhajan’s. The former leg-spinner made the observation to Hindustan Times that players from teams who miss out on the playoffs will leave early to adjust to the foreign environment, and those whose teams make it will be replaced by those whose teams make it.

With 14–17 matches per squad, Anil Kumble claimed the IPL provided better training for the T20 World Cup. He emphasised that players improved their game and were better equipped for the World Cup because to the IPL’s intensely competitive schedule, varied playing conditions, and high-octane difficult environment.

Regarding this, there are two schools of thinking. Some, like Harbhajan_Singh, feel that the Indian squad is not ready and blame the IPL 2024 schedule for this. He claimed that the team’s ability to play four or five warm-up games would have helped them get ready for the conditions in the USA and the Caribbean.

The Indian team’s preparation for the T20 World Cup 2024, which will be held in the USA and the West Indies, has been the subject of intense controversy and debate as the tournament’s start date approaches.

“As far as the Indian players are concerned, those who are not in the playoffs will undoubtedly depart early, and those who will play or be in the playoffs will depart right away following the IPL.

Therefore, I fail to understand why the preparation needs to be altered. I don’t see any problems with that. Playing in an IPL where you played either 14 or 16 or 17 matches is the best way to prepare for the World Cup. Therefore, you played under pressure and were well-prepared for every scenario in this event. Thus, Kumble told Hindustan Times, “It’s a good sort of understanding of where your game is going into the World Cup.”

Even before the IPL season began, people were aware that they would be leaving: Anil Kumble

In response to criticism from commentators and former cricket players like Sunil Gavaskar regarding the English players’ decision to withdraw from the IPL in order to prepare for their Twenty20 International series against Pakistan, Anil Kumble said that most teams were likely aware that some players would likely depart during the tournament’s pivotal stage.

He made the observation that in these kinds of situations, teams usually have backup plans. Kumble added that he had no concerns about England’s approach and that every country has its unique method of getting ready for big events.

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“Even before the IPL season began, many were aware that they would be going. You are stuck with them, I suppose, because they are franchises and kind of have those backups. After all, some of the teams would undoubtedly want to have prepared for the upcoming World Cup. And when it comes to getting ready for a major event, every team or nation does it differently.

And England made the decision to rest its players. Anil Kumble said, “I don’t think there’s any issue with that. I guess every franchise knew that these players won’t be available towards the back end of the tournament.”