Mumbai: The Indian domestic season will only start when it is safe for young players to travel within the country for their Ranji Trophy matches, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly said.
There is a huge uncertainty with regards to India's domestic tournaments due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 2020-21 domestic season would have started with Vijay Hazare in late August followed the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Last season's Irani Cup was cancelled due to announcement of Lockdown 1.
Asked about domestic cricket and junior cricket, Ganguly told Sports Tak, "It is necessary, but it will happen only after coronavirus. When it is safe, only then, especially junior cricket."
Ganguly reasoned that India was a large country and teams needed to travel from one place to another for their matches and hence domestic cricket won't start till everything is safe.
"We don't want to expose young players. Our country is so large and our domestic cricket is so robust that everyone has to travel and play. So till the time it is not safe, it will not happen," clarified the BCCI boss.
