Playing cricket in bio-secure environment unrealistic, says Dravid

NEW DELHI: Former India captain Rahul Dravid has said that the idea of creating bio-secure environments, which is being planned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to resume cricket, is unrealistic.

In order to restart its cricket season after weeks of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ECB recently said that it would set up bio-secure venues to host Pakistan and the West Indies later this summer. However, the cricket legend during a webinar conducted in support of YUVA, a non-profit organisation, was not convinced with the concept.

”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,” Cricbuzz quoted Dravid as saying. “Even if they are 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 travelling that you do on tours and the number of people involved,” he added.

Dravid also questioned what would become of a particular Test match when a player, who’s in a bio-bubble, tests positive for COVID-19 in the middle of the game. “All of us are hoping that things will evolve with time and get better once we have better medication. 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, ” Dravid said. (AGENCIES)