Cricket Has Only Itself To Blame For The Bloated, Unworkable Schedule: Ian Chappell

Former Australia captain Ian Chappell feels that cricket itself is to be blamed for the bloated and unworkable schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the world. Chappell added that the re-evaluation

"Could this possibly bring one of the 'Big Three' to a crisis meeting of the ICC with a feeling of empathy for the plight of lesser nations? Only an eternal optimist would answer 'yes' to that question."

The 78-year-old drew parallels between cricketing nations and former USA President Donald Trump. "However, that would require the cricket countries to come together in good faith with a view to making decisions in the best interests of the game. As we've seen over the years, and particularly in more recent times, the likelihood of this happening is about the same as that of Donald Trump displaying humility."

"In the early 2000s when the game's administrators followed the golden rainbow and discovered the IPL at the end of it, they unwittingly transferred enormous power into the hands of the players. There's no better time for the administrators to call in that favour and work with the players to map out a better and more equitable future for the game."

"If that situation were to eventuate and the result is a workable schedule that accommodates all, cricket will have the pandemic to thank for helping extract itself from a nice mess of its own making," concluded Chappell.