It's testing times for 2016-17 Ranji Trophy tournament as well

These are testing times for the Board of Control for Cricket in India. It is difficult to say what will happen over the next couple of weeks (or days for that matter) and what stand will the Supreme Court will take over the cricket board's defiance of the Lodha Committee recommendations

These are testing times for the Board of Control for Cricket in India. It is difficult to say what will happen over the next couple of weeks (or days for that matter) and what stand will the Supreme Court will take over the cricket board's defiance of the Lodha Committee recommendations.

Whatever the fate of the BCCI, hopefully, the cricket will continue, despite all the threats and uncertainties. Under the shadow of BCCI's fight with the Lodha Committee and a spate of international cricket over the next few months, the 83rd edition of the Ranji Trophy gets underway today.

It will be testing time for the Ranji Trophy too, as for the first time the whole national championship is being played at neutral venues. It means none of the 28 teams will play any match at their home venue. This is a very diabolic step the cricket board has taken after many teams last season went for under-prepared pitches in order to clinch outright wins. Some of the matches finished in mere two and a half days, where the result was a lottery, rather than based on skills.

Pitches doctored by home sides are not unique to India. In England too there have been cases of the home team preparing the pitches to suit its own the strength. The English cricket board came up with the idea of doing away with the toss, thus reducing the 'doctored' home advantage to a great extent in County cricket.

The BCCI could have taken a leaf out of the ECB's book and done away with toss in the Ranji Trophy, giving the visiting team the option of deciding to bowl first. Or it could have posted neutral curators, a much cheaper and easier option than moving 28 teams all over the country.

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