MUMBAI: Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has criticised the BCCI’s decision to scrap the toss in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy for the past two seasons, urging the board to restore the practice from next season. In May 2024, then BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced that the toss would be done away with in the men’s under-23 tournament for the 2024-25 season, with the visiting team given the choice of batting or bowling first.
The move was aimed at curbing the practice of home teams preparing spin-friendly pitches to gain an advantage. The BCCI’s move was the first instance of the toss being scrapped in Indian domestic cricket. The England and Wales Cricket Board had also done away with it in the County Championship from 2016 to 2019, before restoring it in 2020.
“It’s absolutely wrong to do away with the toss in U-23 matches. The element of toss brings a different charm and excitement to a cricket match,” Vengsarkar told TOI.
Vengsarkar said that teams must learn to adapt to different conditions. “The wicket and conditions are the same for both teams. If you play a balanced team, you can cope with any conditions. And what happens if you make a wicket to suit your strength, but lose the toss? A toss adds a different, but necessary dimension to a cricket game,” he said.
“Sometimes, when you are not sure about whether to bat or bowl first, it could be a good toss to lose. The BCCI should reintroduce the toss in its U-23 tournament from the next season. There’s no question about it,” he added.
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