Is the ongoing match between India vs Leicestershire the most weird match ever played?

[Rajdeep]

No body seems to have any clue what is happening. I understand it is a practice game and does not have first class status but the way the game has progressed has made mockery of things.

First of all Leicester is only by name but as many as 5 Indian players playing for them - Bumrah, Prasidh, Nagarkotti, Pujara and Pant.

Pant only keeps 1 session and then handover the gloves to Leicester wicket-keeper.

Pujara batted for Leicester in 1st innings and for India in 2nd innings.

Iyer and Jadeja bats twice in the same innings where as skipper Sharma don't even come out to bat.

90% of Leicester bowling is done by Indian bowlers and few overs were bowled by their actual players.

What kind of match is this? What purpose does it serve?

 

[pratiktc]

Practice

 

[Saj]

It will have been pre-arranged with the County.

My guess is that Leicestershire would have agreed to almost anything that the BCCI had proposed for this match.

 

[Rajdeep]

It will have been pre-arranged with the County.

My guess is that Leicestershire would have agreed to almost anything that the BCCI had proposed for this match.

Agree... I think a deal was made to give Indian players as much playing time as possible. Its just weird to batsman who got out coming to bat again. Reminds me of gully cricket

 

[sweep_shot]

It is just for practice. Nothing serious.

 

[Cover Drive Six]

Telecasted live on YouTube.
Surprisingly lot of people came to watch in stadium.

 

[Markhor]

Telecasted live on YouTube.
Surprisingly lot of people came to watch in stadium.

Lot of Indians in Leicester !

My former boss was a Ugandan Asian (Gujarati) who like so many made their home in Leciester.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Performance in this match should be taken with a pinch of salt.

 

[Babeikh]

Totally random but a completely unofficial friendly practice game. Nothing else really. As Saj said, if BCCI had insisted that the players all play wearing pink tutus, Leicestshire would have agreed to it.

 

[Major]

Bcci even controls the brits

 

[Saj]

Lot of Indians in Leicester !

My former boss was a Ugandan Asian (Gujarati) who like so many made their home in Leciester.

Yes huge Indian population in Leicester and a lot of them originate from Uganda and Kenya.

India always gets a huge following in Leicester.

Even Pakistan gets good support there from the Indian cricket fans.

 

[Bewal Express]

Good money for Leicester

 

[James]

<b>Ashwin impresses on final day as India draw Leicestershire warm-up match</b>

Ravichandran Ashwin made a welcome return after his Covid-19 isolation to bowl and pick up two wickets on the final day of India’s tour match against a Leicestershire XI.

The match between an Indian XI and Leicestershire officially ended in a draw, with the home side 219/4 and over a hundred runs short in the evening session when the captains shook hands.

But in truth this four-day encounter was far from a competitive affair, with India using it as a prime opportunity to get their Test squad some time out in the middle ahead of the upcoming rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston.

The fourth day was no exception, with Jasprit Bumrah bowling for both teams as he got some overs under his belt. The India quick, who could captain the side if Rohit Sharma is unable to feature in Birmingham, bowled 29 overs in total in the match.

Mohammed Shami also looked in fine form, sending down a fiery spell before being given a deserved rest with England in mind.

Ravi Ashwin did not make the XI for any of India’s four Tests against England last summer, but could well make the cut for the rescheduled fifth Test given he’s proven his fitness.

Ashwin had been a late arrival to England after testing positive for Covid just prior to travel, but was cleared to play on the fourth day and got straight into the action, bowling 11 tidy overs and picking up two wickets.

The spinner had Leicestershire’s captain Sam Evans stumped, but it was the wicket of Gill that would have given him the most joy on the day, making a subtle change to the field, tossing the ball up and luring the opener straight into his trap.

Shubman Gill’s quickfire 62 at the top of the order for Leicestershire was an encouraging sign on Sunday, with the opener looking in decent nick before he was outthought by Ashwin to bring his 77-ball stay to an end.

In contrast, Hanuma Vihari struggled at times, lacking fluency as he had for much of the warm-up match. The India batter was outperformed by Leicestershire youngster Louis Kimber, who reached his unbeaten half-century before the captains shook hands in Leicester.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2656668

 

[Cricfan4eva]

It is not news that home countries put out absolute poor teams for practice games. Which is why at least India don't consider these games worth their time. Last time IIRC, India travelled with a huge bunch and opted for practice amongst themselves and not with any domestic sides.

This time, since India is busy with Ireland commitment. Flying in more players would have just been a waste of money so they chose to make Leicester warm up useful by using their own extra players play for them. I doubt this is Leicester's first XI.

 

[The cricket enthusiast]

So shan vs India might be fun.
Will it be telecast?

 

[HitWicket]

It is not news that home countries put out absolute poor teams for practice games. Which is why at least India don't consider these games worth their time. Last time IIRC, India travelled with a huge bunch and opted for practice amongst themselves and not with any domestic sides.

Last year the warmup was an intra-squad game because getting a strong enough opposition into the covid bubble was feasible.

The results don't exactly back up that the opposition provided to India haven't been strong enough in England. In 2018 they failed to bowl out Essex who scored 359/8 before declaring. In 2014 Leicestershire racked up 349/5 against them and they only beat Derbyshire after requesting they declare so they could get additional batting practice. In 2011 Somerset scored 425/3 and 260/2 against them on a pitch where they also skittled India out for 224 and Northants scored 355/7 against them.