New Delhi, June 1:
BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal today said that their Cricket Operations and National Cricket Academy (NCA) team are working on organising a training camp for the top cricketers but didn’t commit to any time frame under prevailing circumstances.
Though COVID-19 cases continue to rise significantly in India and are inching towards the 2 lakh mark, the central government has been taking gradual steps to open up the economy.
“The (resumption of) national camp is under review with the cricket operations team and NCA staff working out the possibility to have it as soon as possible. Different states are taking different measures (with regards to relaxation on lockdown), so we will take a call accordingly,” Dhumal said.
“Everybody (players) comes form one or the other state. They can co-ordinate with their respective stat association and train till the time it is safe for the entire team to get together,” the treasurer once again stressed on the point he had stated before start of fourth phase of lockdown.
While England cricketers have already started training in batches, top Australian cricketers including David Warner and Steve Smith attended a practise session of New South Wales today.
It has been a week since domestic flight operations have resumed in India and Dhumal said the board will lock in on the location for the national camp only when safety of the players is ensured.
“The flights have just started. We will see the progress with regards to the flight situation and take them to a safe location where we are 100 percent sure of their safety then then we can organise that. We are looking into that.”
Asked how soon the players can get together, Dhumal said: “It is difficult to put a time frame to it”.
India skipper Virat Kohli and his limited overs deputy Rohit Sharma live in Mumbai where close to 40,000 cases have already been reported and falls in the state with most infections, 67755 till date.
Maharashtra is among the states which have extended lockdown till June 30 albeit with more relaxations.
“They can be moved out to a safe location and from there they can join the camp as and when it happens. As I said, we are looking at all the options,” said Dhumal when asked about the two star players. (PTI)
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