Australia's left-arm pacer, Mitchell Starc, is the latest among prominent names within international cricket to raise concern whether cricket behind closed doors in COVID-19 times is sustainable over a period.
Starc, who was part of Australia's strictly imposed bio-bubble for their limited-overs tour to UK in August-September, feels the cricketers can only cope mentally for a length of time.
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Of course, the bio-secure environment, where protocols are implemented around quarantine and testing of the players, is the only way left for teams to secure their fixtures, many of which still remain postponed because of the pandemic.
"It's not a sustainable lifestyle," Starc was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. "You're living in a hotel room with zero outside contact. Some guys haven't seen families or their kids for a long time, for those guys in the IPL."
With the exception of Starc, top cream of Australian talent have been plying their trade secluded from the rest of the world since August when the series in England preceded the IPL 2020 in UAE. And now, they'll be entering another bubble before their all-format home series against India, starting November 27.
The situation is similarly taxing for West Indies, New Zealand, South Africa, England cricketers who took part in the IPL and will now be seen playing international cricket. Pakistan, one of the tourists to England this summer, have been hosting Zimbabwe in the meantime in a bubble in Rawalpindi. They'll soon be travelling to New Zealand for another difficult tour.
"It's tough going – we get to play cricket, (so) we can't complain too much – but in terms of well-being of players, staff and officials, how long can you stay in hubs for?" Starc asked.
"That question remains to be answered ... For those guys who have been in the IPL and have to turn around and do another IPL at the end of next summer (in April and May, 2021), they're earning their money."
England skipper Eoin Morgan recently foresaw a situation where the national team players may pull out at different stages of their long winter season.
The burnout is an issue that was also brought to light by West Indies captain Jason Holder, whose team admirably played their part in saving the English summer and will visit New Zealand, Bangladesh in the coming months post the IPL.
"When you're stuck in situations like that, month after month, going from bubble to bubble, and if those restrictions remain the same or quite similar, it can be quite tiresome on the mind and body as well," said Starc.
"Not having that escape from day-to-day cricket certainly for myself to get that round of golf in or walk around is (difficult). That's important for people's well-being."
"... with guys with families and kids going hub to hub and bubble to bubble, you throw in some restrictions in terms of quarantine and then it makes it quite difficult," he added.
(Inputs from PTI)
