Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, cricket is being played in a bio-secure bubble. Players and support staff are only shuffling between their team hotels and the cricket stadiums for outdoor practice sessions. Nobody is allowed to break the bubble and travel around due to the virus threat.

No wonder, players are finding it mentally challenging and now India skipper Virat Kohli has spoken about it.

According to Kohli, players should be consulted over cricket scheduling as extended bubble life can result in burnout.

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“The players need to be spoken to and consulted with all round,” Kohli said during a virtual press conference on the eve of the first ODI against England in Pune.

“Otherwise it’s going to be a case of whoever can last through difficult times like this plays, if not then move away and someone else replaces that player.”

He added, “I don’t think that’s healthy for a cricket system and cricket culture moving forward which we definitely want to make stronger and stronger.”

When asked whether 50-over cricket holds no importance in the year when T20 World Cup is going to be played, Kohli said tournament scheduling “is something that is not in our control.”

“I think it’s very important to consider how much cricket you are playing. It’s not just the physical side of thing but the mental side of things as well,” said Kohli.

“Scheduling and workloads is something that everyone will have to be very aware,” he added. “Especially in today’s day and age where you just don’t know where restrictions might come in.”

Notably, Indian cricketers have been experiencing bubble life since August last year when they had gathered in UAE for the IPL 2020. It was followed by the tour Down Under and England’s tour to India.

(With AFP inputs)