Michael Vaughan blames IPL for cancellation of Old Trafford Test match

As Indian players made their way to the United Arab Emirates from England after the cancellation of the fifth and final Test at Manchester, former cricketer Michael Vaughan held Indian Premier League (IPL) as the reason for the Old Trafford match to be called off. The fifth Test was cancelled over COVID-19 fears among the Team India camp after junior physiotherapist Yogesh Parmar tested positive for COVID-19 a day before the match. This was after head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar had tested positive earlier. According to reports, Indian players were not comfortable with the match being played as they feared some of them would have contracted the virus from Parmar. Still, Vaughan blamed IPL 2021, which will restart from 19 September in UAE, as the reason behind cancellation of Old Trafford Test. He wrote on Twitter: “IPL teams chartering planes .. 6 days quarantining required in the UAE .. 7 days till the tournament starts !!!! Don’t tell me the Test was cancelled for any other reason but the IPL ..”

IPL teams chartering planes .. 6 days quarantining required in the UAE .. 7 days till the tournament starts !!!! Don’t tell me the Test was cancelled for any other reason but the IPL ..

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 11, 2021

On the day of cancellation, Vaughan had tweeted that the decision to call off the match was disrespectful to the fans. “The total lack of respect shown to the Cricketing fan that had travelled hundreds miles today to see the Test today is an utter disgrace .. Surely this could have been dealt with yesterday !!!! Even then I wouldn’t have agreed with it … #ENGvIND,” he wrote on the social media platform.

The total lack of respect shown to the Cricketing fan that had travelled hundreds miles today to see the Test today is an utter disgrace .. Surely this could have been dealt with yesterday !!!! Even then I wouldn’t have agreed with it … #ENGvIND

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 10, 2021

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Vaughan’s tweet comes after England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive Harrison refused to blame IPL for the cancellation of the Test match. “Let me be super-clear about this — I don’t think the IPL has got anything to do with this," he said. “This is not a situation which has been created by a rescheduled IPL. I fundamentally do not believe that for a second," Harrison had said. Vaughan’s view was not shared by others on Twitter with few experts stating that Indian players leaving for IPL after cancellation of the Test match was the obvious step forward.

Sorry lads but if players don't want to be in an environment cos of covid concerns why *wouldn't you* hop on the first flight out of there, which appears to be what has happened. Convenience doesn't mean causation. Very okay with India's players going to IPL. 🤷🏻‍♀️

— Isabelle Westbury (@izzywestbury) September 11, 2021

England called off their tour to SA in similar circumstances i.e. Uneasiness over a COVID outbreak. #JustSaying https://t.co/UtDM23VXrJ

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 11, 2021

Didn’t know that a great cricketer like @MichaelVaughan also had
expertise in parapsychology…🤔 https://t.co/MBumDW9eSG

— Syed Akbaruddin (@AkbaruddinIndia) September 11, 2021

India being a very strong supporter of Test cricket, would be not be thinking about cancelling test. https://t.co/gELBefNzCl

— Yusuf Unjhawala 🇮🇳 (@YusufDFI) September 11, 2021

Meanwhile, the BCCI has offered to reschedule the cancelled match to help ECB with the potential financial losses. It has been reported that ECB faces £40m losses after the cancellation of the match.