Rohit Sharma Open to Playing IPL 2020 in Empty Stadiums, Says There Was A Time When We Used to Play Cricket Without Spectators
Mumbai Indians’ captain Rohit Sharma is ready to play in empty stadiums and his theory behind the preparation of mindset is intriguing too. While talking to India Today, the 32-year old said that, in case the tournament happens behind doors, he would think of his childhood days when used to play without any viewer.
With the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc all around the world, many major cricket series and tournaments have been postponed or cancelled. Even, the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has also been postponed indefinitely and hence, fans are unlikely to witness the action in the gala tournament. However, speculations are that if things get normalize to a certain extent, the T20 extravaganza can be played in empty stadiums. In the previous editions of IPL, people are coming in large numbers to see their favourite stars in action. So, playing without spectators will certainly be awkward for players. However, Mumbai Indians’ captain Rohit Sharma is ready to play in empty stadiums and his theory behind the preparation of mindset is intriguing too. Gautam Gambhir Picks Rohit Sharma As the Best Captain in IPL History, Says ‘He May Finish at 6–7 Titles Under His Belt.’
While talking to India Today, the 32-year old said that, in case the tournament happens behind doors, he would think of his childhood days when used to play without any viewer. "It will be a little strange to play in the empty stadiums. I don’t know how the fans will take it. As a kid, I have to go back a long way and think how I started playing cricket with nobody watching me. We didn’t have the luxury of playing in these luxurious stadiums, I think life will go back to that. Whatever rules the board comes up with, we need to follow that and try and play some sort of cricket. People will be able to watch us on television. At least, there is something to look forward to," said Rohit.
Several speculations were that the T20 tournament might be played in a single city or any other country in order to avoid the spread of the infection. Speaking on that, the swashbuckling opener said that they should wait for the directives of the government before thinking about the fate of the tournament.
"Yeah, once they open up the stadium, they open the fixtures for us to play, only then we will get to know how it’s going to be planned out. From what I gather is, less movement and staying in one particular area is very important. Whichever city or whichever country tournaments are happening, they have to take all the necessary precautions and all the necessary steps to stay away from this virus,” he added.
Rohit Sharma guided Mumbai Indians to the title in IPL 2020. Hence, they are the defending champions of the mega tournament. In the 2020 IPL actions, MI have included the likes of Chris Lynn and Trent Boult in their already strong squad. Courtesy which the Mumbai side is looking one of the strongest sides.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 22, 2020 03:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).