Ravichandran Ashwin Calls Coronavirus Pandemic a ‘Common Enemy’, Urges People to Be Socially Responsible

The coronavirus outbreak has certainly taken the world by storm as the disease is affecting people worldwide and India is no exception. Over 150 people have been tested positive for COVID-19 and the numbers are likely to increase with time. In this time of crisis, India's talismanic off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has urged people to not get panic and deal with this disease properly. The former Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) captain termed this pandemic as a "common enemy" and asked the people to support each other in tough times. Ravichandran Ashwin Takes Dig at Chennai People for Not Practising ‘Social Distancing'.

“India could be a country where the disease can be very nasty. Because self-discipline in terms of what we give to the community is extremely low. I was reading an article that talked about an infected person in Maharashtra being humiliated by neighbours. We are fighting a common enemy that cannot be seen,” the star off-spinner was quoted as saying by the New Indian Express.

Ashwin also raised his concern over the complacent attitude of Indians towards the epidemic and said one needs a bit to get escaped from COVID-19. “There is an amount of panic that has set in, but so has ignorance. It is confusing. In a country like India, you have to bank on a little bit of luck for the virus to evade you,” Ashwin added.

The 2011-World Cup winner also asked people to be socially responsible by staying in isolation. “We have to confine ourselves. Thankfully, I have a cycle and a small gym at home to be in my best shape... probably stick to a diet. The most important thing now is to look after oneself and be socially responsible towards others and the community. Everything else takes a backseat,” Ashwin said.

Amid the pandemic threat, sporting events all around the world have come to a halt and cricket is no exception. Many major series and tournament of the gentleman’s game have been called off and it seems like fans will miss the action for quite some time. The 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is also under dark clouds but the fans will certainly want to see their favourite stars in action in the T20 extravaganza.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 20, 2020 12:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).