Member of the BCCI Apex Council Anshuman Gaekwad on Wednesday stated that this year’s T20 Word Cup does not seem likely to go-ahead, which would mean that suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) might get a space in the cricketing calendar for the organisers to target.
The former India coach stated that cricketers will have to be mentally and physically geared up and adapt to the post COVID-19 cricket world.
“I have my doubts that T20 WC will be held this year. About IPL, we cannot think of just now. It will depend on Indian conditions and the window is only during this T20 WC which is October-November,” Gaekwad told ”PTI-Bhasha”.
“If the World Cup gets cancelled or postponed, then only IPL can happen but then also it depends on what the conditions are in India,” he said.
Gaekwad feels that life would be completely different once the virus subsides and the players would have to be mentally strong to be able to adapt.
The virus has so far infected more than 4.8 million people around the world while claiming over 3,00,000 lives.
“Cricket is not going to be the same, the approach would be different. There will be no crowd in the stadiums. Cricketers are not used to playing in empty stadiums
“It will be a very difficult aspect of playing new kind of cricket, “Gaekwad said.
He also hinted that cricket might take at least two to four months to resume after the pandemic enforced break.
“It may take another two months or four months or more to resume cricket. It is not a theory that you can read and write. You have to perform so nothing is going to be easy,” he said.
“If you are not mentally strong, it will not be easy,” added the former player who featured for India in 40 Tests and 15 ODIs.