Ajinkya Rahane joined a host of cricketers in urging people to stay at home and stay safe. Rahane, India’s vice-captain in Test cricket, requested his fans and Indians in general to ‘co-operate with the authorities’ and listen to their advisories in these dreading times. ‘Do not step out of your house unless extremely necessary’ said Rahane in a video message to his fans on his official Twitter account. The 31-year-old Indian international also prayed that the world will overcome this difficult phase if we all take care of ourselves and stay protected. He was part of the Indian team that was clean-swept 0-3 in Test series in New Zealand with Rahane failing to inspire the team despite few short bursts of form. Sachin Tendulkar Asks Citizens to Act Responsibly to Keep COVID-19 at Bay (Watch Video).

“Namaskar, I hope you all are healthy and safe. Coronavirus has affected all of our lives in different ways. There are difficult times,” Rahane said a video message to his fans in Hindi. The video clip, in which Rahane begins with a namaskar, was captioned “Let’s all stay strong and take precautions to avoid the spread of COVID-19.” Shikhar Dhawan Takes to Outdoor Exercise As Gyms Are Closed Due to Coronavirus Outbreak (Watch Video).

Ajinkya Rahane's Message to Fans on Coronavirus

“But it is important for you to assist, obey and co-operate with authorities, BMC, police and also help them. Wash your hands and properly and regularly. Do not step out of your house unless extremely necessary. I understand these are frustrating times. But if we co-operate, help and listen to the authorities we will get out of this phase before it gets worse,” he said in the clip.

Meanwhile, 142 people have been confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus disease in India with five deaths also reported among them. One those five deceased, a 63-year-old man with travel history to Dubai, belonged to Mumbai and passed away on Tuesday reportedly due to complications arising from the novel coronavirus infection.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 18, 2020 04:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).