The Board of Control for Cricket in India has said it is hopeful that the fifth Test with England in Chennai will go ahead as planned following the death of the local politician Jayalalithaa Jayaram.
Jayalalithaa, the popular chief minister of Tamil Nadu state, died overnight on Monday aged 68 following a heart attack on Sunday, prompting the announcement of a seven-day mourning period and a three-day holiday for schools by the local government.
Both the England and India cricket teams are due to arrive in Chennai next Tuesday – the day the mourning period ends – before the final Test of the series that runs from 16-20 December at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, with officials wary that public order may not have been fully restored.
“We haven’t taken any decision with regard to the Chennai Test match,” said the BCCI secretary, Ajay Shirke, on Tuesday. “It’s a very sensitive decision. We are keeping a close watch on the situation and we are taking input from the local host association as to the mood and the sentiment of the people, and based on what evolves, the final decision for the match will be taken.
“We are monitoring the situation almost on an hourly or a daily basis. The BCCI has got a number of alternate venues; in fact, there are new venues which have been added so there is no paucity of venues for hosting a Test match. Again, that should not be read as a decision [of the game] having been shifted.”
Pune and Bangalore are understood to be the most likely alternative host cities should the Test match be moved out of Chennai, where thousands of mourners have taken to the streets to pay their respects since the announcement of Jayalalithaa’s death.
India are already in an unassailable position and can wrap up a series victory before the fifth Test if they win or draw the fourth Test in Mumbai, which starts on Thursday.
The team’s coach, Anil Kumble, believes his side have displayed an all-round strength, citing the contribution from the seamers Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav, who have not been as overshadowed by the spinners as normal
“For me, the two fast bowlers have been brilliant – right throughout, since the time I have come in as the coach from [the series against the] West Indies,” he said.
“It is not just the two of them but Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar], Ishant Sharma too – all of them have contributed significantly.
“To have someone like Bhuvi and Ishant sitting out is a credit to the way Umesh and Shami have bowled.”
India will be careful not to overload the two current incumbents, however. Kumble added: “Workload is something we monitor – especially Shami, because he came back after 18 months out.
“That is not easy for any cricketer, so it is something we are constantly monitoring. It is quite a challenge where you only have three or four days’ gap between Test matches – and this series has gone till the last day of the matches – so it is important that these guys are given enough breaks.”
