'Disappointing there is going to be no crowd' - Sunil Gavaskar on Virat Kohli's 100th Test

Former Indian player Sunil Gavaskar has said that having no crowd for the first Test match in Mohali, which is also Virat Kohli‘s 100th, is disappointing as well. However, the first Test of the two-match Test series between India and Sri Lanka will take place behind closed doors amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

While speaking to Sports Today, Sunil Gavaskar has said that it’s disappointing that fans won’t be present to celebrate the achievement of Kohli. However, he further added that the decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) came for the greater good because of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Punjab as well.

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Gavaskar added: “Any game that you play, you want the crowd to be there. India has played without any crowds in recent times. Any performer, be it an actor, be it a cricketer, wants to play in front of the crowd. The 100th Test is very very special. Disappointing that there is going to be no crowd, but I think the decision has been taken in the greater interest. The cases have increased in and around Mohali, where the match is going to be played.”

“Any game that you play, you want the crowd to be there” – Sunil Gavaskar

PCA treasurer RP Singla, meanwhile, has confirmed on Sunday that the Mohali Test won’t have the crowd in the stadium. On the other hand, the BCCI’s decision to host the Mohali Test behind closed doors didn’t go down well with fans as crowds were allowed in a small capacity during the recent T20I series against West Indies and Sri Lanka in Kolkata and Dharamsala, respectively as well.

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Meanwhile, the wait for Virat Kohli’s 100th Test has become a long one. He, however, missed the first Test of the home series against New Zealand in December. Had he not missed the Test, the third Test of the series in South Africa would have been his 100th as well.

However, Virat Kohli, who made his Test debut against the West Indies in 2011, is now all set to become the 71st player to play 100 Tests. He will join the legends like – Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag and Ishant Sharma who have played 100 Tests for India.