Boards will be reluctant to send players to India for T20 WC: Hussey

Even though Indian cricket board (BCCI) is confident it will be able to host the T20 World Cup in October-November, doubts remain on whether teams will be prepared to travel to India for the tournament.

Former Australia batsman Michael Hussey, also the batting coach of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), said on arrival from India that it will be difficult to host the tournament in India as cricket boards will be reluctant to send their teams to the country reeling under the pandemic. 

"I think it's going to be very difficult in my view to play that tournament in India," Hussey, who is serving quarantine, was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.com. 

Hussey was one of those who got infected by Covid-19 and had to get treated in Chennai before departing to Australia.  

While CSK saw Hussey and bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji get infected, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals and SunRisers Hyderabad were the other teams affected by the virus. It eventually led to the postponement of the tournament. 

"We're talking about eight teams in the IPL. I think there are probably similar number, maybe more teams coming in from overseas [for the T20 World Cup], there would be more venues. As I said earlier, if they're playing in different cities, that is when the risk goes up.

"I think they'll have to look some pretty big contingency plans, perhaps looking at the UAE or somewhere like that that could host the World T20. I think there will be a lot of cricket boards around the world that'd be pretty nervous about going back to India for a cricket tournament."

The UAE has already been kept as a back-up venue for the tournament.