Amid the COVID-19 lockdown, England Test captain Joe Root said that cricket should not be played this summer if the “game itself and its intensity” is compromised, saying the integrity of the sport is crucial and that should not be compromised in any way.
With professional cricket suspended because of the ongoing global Coronavirus pandemic, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is planning to play Test series against West Indies and Pakistan behind closed doors in a 'bio-secure' environment.
However, Root said the standard of Test cricket should not be compromised in resuming the cricket matches amid the ongoing global crisis.
Root recently told Sky Sports: “If the game is compromised, it shouldn't be going ahead. The game itself, the intensity it is played at - if you can't play Test cricket at its absolute best, we shouldn't play it. It's not a fair reflection of the sport.”
He signed off by saying, “There has been talk about changing the ball and different things and it will be interesting to see what you could change to make things slightly safer - hopefully, the ball has no seam, doesn't move sideways and we can whack it to all parts! But personally, I'd like the think the product itself and the standard of Test cricket would not be compromised to play these games.”
(With Sky Sports Inputs)
