We Saw In The Crowd No One Was Wearing Masks And Following Social Distancing: Salman Butt Supports Ravi Shastri

Former Pakistan player Salman Butt backed Indian head coach Ravi Shastri after the latter was accused of breaking the COVID-19 bubble to attend his book show.

In the recent events that folded up in Indian camp which also led to calling of the fifth Test in Manchester after physiotherapist Yogesh Parmar tested COVID-19 positive. The entire blame is being put on Ravi Shastri, who attended his own book launch event and allowed some Indian players to be present ahead of the Oval Test.

Ravi Shastri was tested COVID-19 positive amid the fourth Test between England and India

Shastri himself tested positive on the fourth day of the Oval Test and was kept under isolation along with bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar.

And even if Ravi Shastri went out, where were the people to stop him?: Salman Butt

Butt said that if Shastri broke the protocols then why wasn’t there anyone to stop him and ensure the rules were followed. The former Pakistan cricketer also pointed out that in the stadium, people were not following the COVID-19 norms and cited the example of prankster Jarvo69 getting into the pitch on multiple occasions.

“We saw in the crowd that no one was wearing masks, no one was following social distancing, he’s (Ravi Shastri’s) right that everything is open there. Even ‘Jarvo’ came inside the field and collided with Jonny Bairstow, they caught him alright, but no one talked about it. It wasn’t the kind of bubble where there’s a strict application of rules and regulations,” Butt said on his YouTube channel.

“And even if he went out, where were the people to stop him? Why did no one ask him not to break the bubble? It’s not like the bubble is just a namesake, there are people who ensure its protocols are followed. There was nothing like it.

“He came in and collided with Jonny Bairstow and everyone saw him. What was the reaction? He was treated like a normal spectator who came inside and then forced out. If the same had happened in an Asian country, England would have gone haywire and other countries would have started talking too. But just because it was in England, there’s no talk,” he added.

India were leading the five-match Test series 2-1 before it was called off and its fate is yet to be decided.

Also Read: ECB Only Want Insurance Claim And Haven’t Even Talked About The Manchester Test: Salman Butt