Rahul Dravid Questions The 'Bio-Bubble' Concept; Terms It As Unrealistic

Rahul Dravid, former Indian captain and the current head of the National Cricket Academy, has questioned the bio-bubble concept that the England and Wales Cricket and Cricket South Africa are pinning their hopes on in order to get cricket up and running.

The ECB are planning to conduct six Test matches against West Indies and Pakistan in the month of July at two bio-secure centers in Ages Bowl and Old Trafford where the players would be subjected to daily temperature checks, regular COVID swabs and other medical measures.

“It is a bit unrealistic to have things at the level the ECB is talking about. Obviously, the ECB is very keen to conduct these series because they have had no other cricket and it is right in the middle of the season,” Rahul Dravid said during a webinar conducted in support of YUVA, a non-profit organization, on Sunday.

“In case of the bio-bubble, you do all the testing, the quarantine and then on day two of the Test match, what if one player tests positive? What happens then? The rules, as they stand now, will see the Public Health Department coming in and putting everyone in quarantine,” Rahul Dravid said.

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“Impossible for everyone to do it”- Rahul Dravid

Dravid said that if the ECB even manage to pull off the experiment, it is very unlikely that boards will follow suit.

“Even if ECB is potentially able to create a bubble and manage it in that way, I think it will be impossible for everyone to do it with the kind of calendar that we have, with the traveling that you do on tours and the number of people involved,” Rahul Dravid added.

Apart from ECB, Cricket South Africa are also pinning their hopes on pulling off a three-match T20I series against India in August in bio-secure environments.

The BCCI, however, has clarified that it does not have any bio-bubble plans like ECB and CSA.

“We will wait for the government guidelines. We won’t put our players in a health hazard,” BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal was quoted as by Indian Express.

Dravid concluded by saying that the best that cricket can hope is for more efficient antidotes to COVID-19 virus are found soon.

Also Read: ECB To Spend Nearly Rs 1 Crore On Hand Sanitizers For 18 Matches This Summer