IPL 2020: Scott Styris Thinks Indian Players Might Take Time To Get Used to Playing Without Crowds

Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris has opened up on the 2020 edition of IPL staging most likely without crowds. The 13th season of the cash-rich league would take place in the UAE as decided by the BCCI, owing to the rising cases of COVID-19 in India. Scott Styris feels that Indian players might especially have difficulties playing without crowds.

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The BCCI released the schedule of IPL’13 on Sunday with the defending champions taking on the runners-up of 2019 Chennai Super Kings on the 19th of September. Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings have shared quite a rivalry over the last few years. Before 2019, the two sides met in the final thrice. CSK beat their opponents in 2010 while Mumbai defeated the yellow army in 2013 and 2015 to capture the IPL trophy.

The post-COVID-19 international cricket has witnessed matches without spectators only. England, who hosted West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland, and are currently playing Australia in their backyard have staged all the games behind closed doors. While it is indeed an odd thing to play international games without crowds, it is the need of the hour.

“I don’t think there will be too much of an adjustment for the overseas players” : Scott Styris

Scott Styris remains optimistic it would not be too much trouble for overseas players to play without crowds. Scott Styris opines that plenty of foreign players feature in games regularly without spectators. However, he feels that Indian players like Virat Kohli, who has been around for ten years, has not been in a similar position. Styris believes that Indian cricketers might not struggle but will wonder where to look for intensity.

“I don’t think there will be too much of an adjustment for the overseas players. A lot of the overseas players play in front of small crowds or even empty grounds on a regular basis, so they will be used to that. But you are right, Indian players, I can’t remember. I mean Kohli, 10 years ago, most of those players have been around long enough now. They won’t struggle, but they will just wonder where they are and look for that energy in other ways,” the 45-year old said in the Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected.

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