Australia need to 'compromise on domestic schedule' to keep game going: Justin Langer
Aug 20, 2020
Melbourne [Australia], Aug 20 : Australia head coach Justin Langer believes that "compromises in the domestic schedule" need to be made in order to keep the game going in times of coronavirus.
Langer will head to the UK on Sunday with the rest of the Australia squad for the limited-overs tour but it remains uncertain what type of season he will return to, with the structure of the summer still very much up in the air due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Cricket Australia is majorly focusing on India's tour of Australia and both the Big Bash tournaments although there remains a strong commitment to a full Sheffield Shield.
"If we've got to have bigger squads because we can't have guys coming in and out, 12th and 13th men playing Shield cricket which is unlikely to happen, that will take some of our best players out of our domestic competition," ESPNcricinfo quoted Langer as saying.
"If we play the full domestic schedule, we might have to compromise on that - the costs to the game, we can't let that blow out because that's important for the health of the game - and there might be compromises in the domestic schedule, that's being worked through at the moment," he added.
Langer further added that some of the top international players will miss cricket due to their family commitments.
"We might not be able to see our families because we need to keep the show on the road. Some of our best players might have to miss some international cricket so they can spend some time seeing families. Those are some of the compromises we might be looking at; we are aware and work through it as they come up," he said.
"We'll keep an eye on how the boys are travelling with the England tour then, the IPL, the quarantine then the summer kicking off. It's certainly something we're aware of. The guys are going to already spend a lot of time away from home but we're going to make sure we manage it really well," Langer added.
Australia are set to play three T20Is and three ODIs against England, beginning September 4. The T20Is will be played at the Ageas Bowl while the ODIs will take place at Old Trafford.
"We've got to make some sacrifices for the greater good of the game of cricket in Australia but also the game worldwide. We've got to make sacrifices to make sure people get to see the Australian cricket team play again," Langer said.
