The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the entire world to a standstill, forcing countries to opt for lockdown in wake of the high risk posed to human life.
For cricket, that has meant the global suspension of all of its immediate international and domestic fixtures.
All cricket boards are hoping for the situation to improve so that they can mutually go about rescheduling those matches at a later date and avoid heavy losses.
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One option which has been mooted from various corners is to play the lucrative matches behind closed doors whenever the on-field play is safe to resume.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, however, ruled that out from India's perspective, saying that the sport shall take the backseat at this stage with human life so greatly threatened.
"There will be no cricket in India in the near future," Ganguly told TOI on Tuesday. "There are too many ifs and buts involved. More importantly, I don't believe in sport when there is a risk to human life."
Harbhajan Singh, veteran India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) off-spinner in the IPL, backed his former captain on the issue.
"When IPL teams travel, there's a huge crowd at the airports, hotels, outside the stadium," he said. "How are you going to stop them if you are looking to maintain social distancing? There should be no top-flight cricket until there is a vaccine for COVID-19."
Cricket Australia (CA) CEO Kevin Roberts did confirm there have been discussions held on possibly organising the T20 World Cup in empty stadiums.
"We might not generate financial returns that are as significant as the international cricket season," he said. "But the bigger returns from the broadcast rights around the event that are generated by the ICC are very important to all of our counterparts around the cricket world."
The Australian government was forced to impose a six-month lockdown because of the deadly outbreak.
If the situation is first brought under control in India, legendary Sunil Gavaskar reckons, cricket authorities from Australia and here shall look to swap the 2020 and 2021 T20 World Cups.
"As we all know, Australia has barred foreigners from entering the country till September 30. The tournament starts in mid-October so it is looking difficult at the moment," Gavaskar told India Today.
"Next year the T20 World Cup is scheduled in India. If India and Australia come to an agreement and the Covid-19 curve in India flattens out, they can swap. It can be held in India this October-November and next year in Australia."
