The
India board is not alone in underestimating challenges of Covid – already busy international schedule is now unworkable
![Blame the schedule, not India’s players for cancellation of final England Test | Anand Vasu](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/60aa5f9381db34651785dd69fc956687cfc188a2/0_171_5008_3006/master/5008.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdG8tb3BpbmlvbnMucG5n&enable=upscale&s=f2d16f2bf7c8d31d35e1143deff19b10)
The low-hanging fruit are being picked off. Ravi Shastri, India’s coach, is the easiest target – having attended a private event for his book launch with between 150 and 200 unmasked attendees – to be blamed for the cancellation or rescheduling of the fifth Test that would have capped off an incredible series.
Virat Kohli and his players are being accused of putting IPL before nation, or club before country, something readers in the
UK should have long got over in a
Football context. But neither Kohli nor his troops had the power to back off from a Test, not with the Board of Control for
Cricket in India wielding power.