Fury as Virat Kohli and India cricket team left sleep-deprived over shock flight delay before crunch ODI series
RED-EYED Indian cricket aces have slammed officials after the national team was left sleep-deprived following a horror flight delay.
The travel fumble left the Rohit Sharma-led squad furious as they prepare to clinch tomorrow’s One Day International match against West Indies.
The valiant Indian side had just wrapped up a winning series at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and were set to head to Barbados for the ODI crunch game.
However, an erratic travel schedule laid out by the Board of Control for Cricket in India soon left them caught out.
Legend Virat Kohli alongside his ten teammates were reportedly left stranded for four hours at the boarding gates.
The team was booked to catch a one-hour flight at 11pm from Trinidad but only managed to reach their destination by 5am the next morning.
Even though Day 5 of the second Test was called off due to rain, the players were reportedly exhausted as they followed a proper routine in order to stay fit for Thursday’s thriller.
According to The Tribune, the cricketers complained of being sleep-deprived and couldn’t train properly ahead of the ODI series.
As a result, the national team penned a letter to the BCCI lambasting them over the travel arrangements.
An inside source told the Indian Express: “They had left the hotel by 8.40pm for the airport and had to wait for a long time.
“The team management has requested us to book a morning flight instead of late-night flights as players want some rest post-game.
“The BCCI has agreed to it and is planning to revise the next schedule.”
The BCCI board decided not to arrange any further flights at midnight, it was reported.
Some players had already reached Barbados a couple of days earlier in order to get accustomed to the conditions.
The stars included vice-captain Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and Umran Malik.
It comes as India hope to win the series in order to add another victory for the record books against the home side.