IND vs WI: BCCI spends THIS staggering sum for chartered flight to accommodate players’ wives

Team India recently arrived in Trinidad to take on the West Indies in a three-match ODI series, followed by a five-match T20I series. It is a well-known fact that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is easily one of the richest cricket bodies in the whole world. 

According to the latest reports, BCCI had to spend an eye-watering sum so that the entire Indian contingent could fly to Trinidad from Manchester. In order to accommodate all the players, support staff and some of the players’ wives, the BCCI had to spend Rs 3.5 crore reportedly on a chartered flight. 

Shikhar Dhawan-led Team India arrived in Trinidad on Tuesday, after having won the ODI series against England 2-1. 

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“The BCCI spent Rs 3.5 crore on the chartered flight which took Team India from Manchester on Tuesday afternoon to Port of Spain (the capital of Trinidad and Tobago) by 11.30 pm IST. The reason a chartered flight was booked for the team was not Covid-19. It’s difficult to book so many tickets in a commercial flight-the Indian contingent includes 16 players and members of the support staff, including head coach Rahul Dravid. There are players’ wives who have travelled to the Caribbean too,” said a report in TOI. 

Trinidad – WE ARE HERE! #TeamIndia | #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/f855iUr9Lq

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 20, 2022

The report further adds, “Normally, in a commercial flight, this expense would’ve been around Rs 2crore. A business class ticket from Manchester to Port of Spain would be around Rs 2 lakh. A chartered flight is more expensive, but it’s a logical option to take. Most top football teams have a charter now.”

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Many senior players such as Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant have been rested for the ODI leg but they will be back for the T20Is series. 

India’s squad for three ODIs: Shikhar Dhawan (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-captain), Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Mohd Siraj, Arshdeep Singh.