Playing IPL 2020 Behind Closed Doors Must Be The Last Resort: Sunil Gavaskar

Former Indian batting maestro, Sunil Gavaskar has shared his views on IPL 2020 games being held behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sunil Gavaskar has said that games behind closed doors shouldn’t be the first priority. The authorities must look and find out other ways initially. If there is no other option left, then matches should be held in empty stadiums.

IPL 2020 was slated to start from March 29 this year. But, due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic in India, the tournament has been suspended indefinitely. Now, with the delay advancing, franchises are in huge bother that the tournament might get cancelled permanently. It has led to a possibility to go ahead with the tourney behind closed doors.

There have been suggestions about holding the IPL and T20 World Cup also behind closed doors, but Sunil Gavaskar thinks that could be the last resort.

Sunil Gavaskar Does Not Support Games Behind Closed Doors

“I think that’s gonna be absolutely the last resort otherwise you know when you can’t have absolutely anyone at the ground only then you should play without crowds. Every performer likes to perform in front of a crowd which appreciates the skills and temperament. Same in theatre. So I think it’s not gonna be easy on the performers as well. Players also want to do the high fives and hugs,” Sunil Gavaskar opined.

A solution, in this case, is a must and Sunil Gavaskar can think of nothing other than the discovery of a vaccine. Gavaskar said vaccines would bring the fans sooner to the stadiums.

“The only solution that I can think of is the vaccine being discovered very very quickly. If that happens maybe we might be able to get some fans in the stands by the end of the year. We are still about 7 months away so it’s still possible to do so. But you don’t even know who does not have the Covid-19. You could be sitting at 10 feet away from somebody but something can still be transferred. I mean even if you go to the ground and are sitting at a fair distance you won’t have the sense of comfort that you’d feel unless you were certain you are safe,” Gavaskar added.

With the coronavirus pandemic bringing the world to a standstill, the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was postponed from March 29 to April 15. India is currently on a world’s biggest lockdown to combat the deadly virus. The lockdown was extended on April 14 by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.

Dark Clouds Looms Large Over IPL 2020 Future

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is now looking at the October-November window for the IPL. But the move can be possible only if the ICC decides to postpone the 2020 T20 World Cup that is to be held in October, this year, according to some sources in the board.

On April 10, latest reports suggested that the BCCI is probing into the July window to conduct the IPL and it could take place behind closed doors.

However, all hopes have once again vanished as the BCCI. On Thursday suspended the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 indefinitely in the light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Also Read: We Might Not Be Able To See Any Live Sport For Maybe 4-5 Months: Sunil Gavaskar