'Clip clip was not Indian': Nasser Hussain takes a different approach to canceling 5th Test

The BCCI and IPL have been on a shooting spree since the cancellation of the India-England final match due to the Covid-19 shock in the Indian camp.

     Nasser Hussain's file (Getty Images)

    Former England captain Nasser Hussain has refused to blame India for the withdrawal of the fifth and final Test at Old Trafford in Manchester. The BCCI and IPL have been on a shooting spree since the cancellation of the India-England final match due to the Covid-19 shock in the Indian camp.

Many English cricketers, including Michael Vaughan and Steve Harmison, have blamed the IPL for refusing to allow Indian cricketers to enter Manchester despite being absent. Hussain, however, said India is not the perpetrators here but the problem is 'cricket season.'

"The people I was most sympathetic to during Friday's general events were the team in our game that used to get respect - the fans - and the villain of the game was not India but it was a time of endless cricket," Hussain wrote. column for the Daily Mail.

Hussain went on to explain that the canceled Test would have an impact on the thousands of spectators who made their way to Manchester to host two very good teams fighting for the series.

"On Friday afternoon, I boarded a train southward full of frightened fans. Hours earlier, another ugly boot from Edinburgh came to me and asked for a picture. He was on a long journey home.

"Spectators are always the last people we think about. Too bad going up and down early to get the wrong light when there are flood lights is one thing. This is another thing.

"Of course, they will get their money back but they will not see any action, they will not be reimbursed for travel and accommodation and they will lose what could be a happy ending to a good series," he added.

Hussain said the fact that the IPL would only start four days after the end of the fifth season, made the rescheduling of the game impossible.

"This was a complete and complete break. Unfortunately, however, this is where we are in the cricket world right now due to the full-time elephant in the Indian Premier League.

"As soon as Covid entered the guest camp, some decisions affected the tournament, and it should be remembered that India has been cautious about the placement of this Test match next to it," he said.