The IPL 2020 tournament will begin from September 2020 onwards and will be played in bio-secure venues across UAE namely Sharjah, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. BCCI had to move the tournament outside India, due to rising COVID-19 cases in the country.
The Indian board hired a UK based firm to prepare the bio-bubbles for each of the eight franchises and prepared detailed SOP guidelines, which are to be followed strictly by every player, member, and staff of the franchises.
RCB captain Virat Kohli mentioned that it's important for everyone to be appreciative of the effort put in to host a tournament of IPL 2020's magnitude during the COVID-19 pandemic and be accepting of the situation around them.
He also said that the RCB members have become used to the bio-bubble and feeling 'relaxed' because they've come to accept the situation around them.
During an interaction where the RCB thanked COVID-19 warriors, Kohli said, “In the past, you don't think about these things because you plan to come to the IPL and start the tournament. But this time to see how our own management has created a secure space for us here, and the small details with which they have executed things make you appreciate their work even more.”
"We have started feeling so safe in this environment and the bubble, and that can happen only when people go out of their way to make you safe. It has to come from a very selfless space. That's across every other team and the whole tournament in general.
Just to make a tournament of this scale in these times, I'm sure there are very very difficult things being done on an hourly basis which we don't see. We just go and practice and do what we love, but I think it's important to be appreciative of the fact that someone has put in the effort to make this a reality for you,” he added.
"Hence precisely our first chat was about this. One person's mistake could bring everything down. So we should be mindful and appreciative,” Kohli said.
The RCB captain further said, "We all have become more accepting of the situation around us. Acceptance is the biggest change that I've experienced. Even in this bio bubble, the first time we spoke, we wanted to be appreciative of the things that are in front of you. It's very easy to think of the things that we're not able to do now, but we've accepted that this is what we need to do.”
“All of us have become really relaxed in this environment because of acceptance. If not, we'll see people get sad or cranky but I've not seen anything like that. There is no desperation of any sort. That's been the biggest learning of the whole pandemic."
Kohli said playing in front of empty stadiums will be strange and different but promised his passion or intensity wouldn't reduce.
“All of us have thought of playing in empty stadiums. Of course, it's going to be a strange feeling, I won't deny that. But the feeling has changed a little after the practice sessions and the practice games. At the end of the day, you understand you started playing the sport for the love of it. Now you have the chance to present that love when the whole country and world is watching, and that will bring joy," he said.
"Crowds are an amazing part of any sport, but that's not what you play for eventually. You play for the right reasons which is to play as a team passionately together and for the love of the game. The crowd is a part of your journey when they're watching you. Our core reasons will remain the same from when we started playing as kids. Our intensity levels or passion will not drop because there are no crowds. There's a larger reason for the situation now and we'll stay true to that."
He also stressed that the sacrifices made by the COVID-19 warriors would be an added motivation not restricted to the field.
"To be honest, I don't think it should be confined to the team," he said. "This whole situation and the inspirational stories have only pointed out that we should get our priorities right in life. I don't think you can pick and choose and say let's do it on the field, but lead life like you used to be, running around like no idea where you want to go, are we even enjoying the moment. Things are being put into perspective.”
“What these inspirational stories do to me personally is... make me understand that when you act selflessly you can add so much more impact. That has to be across all walks of life, not just a part of the sport or profession you're part of. When it's a part of your character, then you won't find it difficult to selflessly help someone else. That to me is the biggest inspiration from these stories," Kohli signed off.
(News18 inputs)
