The entire sporting world has come to a halt owing to the novel coronavirus pandemic. When it is highly recommended to practice self-isolation, athletes around the world are using this time to work out and remain fit and rearing to go once sporting action resumes after the pandemic is over. Had everything gone according to plan, cricketers from around the world would have been busy featuring in the Indian Premier League (IPL) but the global health emergency has forced the organisers to postpone the tournament indefinitely.

While England cricketer Stuart Broad had earlier said that chances of cricket returning soon are slim, he recently suggested that he is willing to play for his country if the medical team of ECB allows him.

“Cricket will literally be governed by the government. It’s not as though the ECB are going to have to be lone wolves and decide when we get back out there,” Broad was quoted as saying in Daily Mail.

“The government will give the go-ahead and then us players will have to make sure we are in the physical capability to get match fit. I know how I feel about not seeing live sport and I know how much joy live sports brings me. So the players’ responsibility is to make sure we are ready to go at the drop of a hat,” he added.

“I know everyone feels very differently about this. Sergio Aguero has been talking about how nervous the players would be. Personally, I wouldn’t be,” he further said.

“I have huge faith in our medical team at the ECB. I have known Nick Peirce, the chief medical officer, for a long, long time and I have full faith in what he and his team believe is right for cricket,” he said.

“Yes, we all want to see cricket being played whether it is behind closed doors and just on TV or in front of spectators. And I know that the England doctors I’ve worked with over a long period of time would not cut corners to make it happen,” he added.

“So if one of Nick or Gurjit Bhogal, our current England team doctor, rings and tells me ‘I think this is a good way to do it,’ I will 100% trust what they are saying,” he concluded.