Ravi Shastri, former India captain and current head coach of the national cricket team is convinced that the damage wrecked globally by an invisible, common enemy will force people to look at life from a whole new perspective.
“It is unusual, yes, but these are also extraordinary times. Not a shot has been fired, not a bullet discharged, not a stone thrown. Not one of the high-tech weapons in the arsenal of several nations has been used. And yet, the whole world has been paralyzed by a tiny but deadly virus,” Shastri tells Firstpost.
“It’s unfortunate if you need a tragedy of this magnitude to drive that point home. But sometimes, the most valuable lessons in life come in the harshest, most unexpected and unimaginable ways. It again reminds you that you must enjoy life while it lasts, enjoy it to the fullest, be thankful for what you have and never take anything for granted,” he adds.
WATCH: Ravi Shastri terms the fight against COVID-19 pandemic as “mother of all World Cups”
Shastri and Indian team had just come home from a six-week tour to New Zealand as the pandemic started to grasp the world in its deadly grip and the coach feels all of them were fortunate to come home in time. He also feels there is nothing in overthinking about the lockdown and it will end when the government thinks it’s viable.
“These last few weeks have been an eye-opener, to be honest. It has given every one of us the time to look back and introspect, see where we are at in our lives. The best-laid plans have also come to a naught. People might have planned for six months ahead, for six years down the line, and we are in a situation where we don’t know what will happen six days from now,” he said.
Shastri reveals how his time is going by in the lockdown and said, “Reading inspirational books, books about great men, and watching stirring sporting deeds in eras gone by. My huddle is with my five dogs – Beamer, who is the boss, Bouncer, Yorker, Skipper, and Flipper. There is a lot of valuable information coming from them, and because I am otherwise not around a lot, they are the ones who do the speaking during the weekdays. I only get to speak in the huddle on weekends!”
Giving his opinion about whether the T20 World Cup 2020 will take place or not, Shastri said, ”Will we have the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in October? We don’t know really, do we? There is so much uncertainty currently that it will be impossible to state with any assurance when even thought will be given to the resumption of sporting activities. Sport seems a very minuscule part of life under the circumstances, though I do feel that as and when we do get underway, it will definitely put smiles on the faces of people.”
As a parting shot, he quips, “I don’t believe in hoarding – either in the cupboards or in the mind.”
(firstpost.com inputs)
