Rahul Dravid: “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?”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Legendary India batsman Rahul Dravid believes it is dangerous for Pakistan to tour England this summer.
Pakistan are scheduled to play three Tests and three T20 Internationals against England.
Recent reports said that the tour is all set to go ahead, but the start date of the Test series will be pushed back from July 30 to August 5.
However, Dravid noted that while all the necessary health and safety precautions for the coronavirus (COVID-19) might be taken in the lead-up to the series, he questioned what would happen if one of the players were to test positive during a Test match.
“It is a bit unrealistic to have things at the level the ECB is talking about,” he was quoted as saying by PakPassion. “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. 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.
“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.
“So that ends the Test match or the series and that ends all the expenses that were made to get everyone there and create that environment. We’re going to have to work with the Health Department and Government authorities to find out a way in which even if a player tests positive, the whole tournament isn’t cancelled.
“At a professional level, players will adjust and not let it affect their performances much. A professional, once he or she gets on to the field, has a lot of pride in oneself. So they will find a way to deal with that. But the experience at the end of the day is not going to be the same.
“Players love to perform in front of a crowd, engage with their fans and that adds incredible complexity to a sport. I think that’s what a player will definitely miss. There is a personal self-satisfaction when you perform in front of a large crowd.”
In addition to Pakistan, the West Indies are also scheduled to tour England for three Tests, but it remains unclear as to when the series will start of if it will go ahead at all.
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