Is IPL 2021 on shaky ground after players pull out due to the coronavirus pandemic?

India is facing the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic, with Sunday recording a record 354,532 cases. In the past one week, India has recorded 22 lakh cases of COVID-19. With the country grappling with acute medical and oxygen shortage, the situation is grim in the country. Amidst all the woes of the pandemic, the IPL 2020 has so far completed over 20 games. In the last couple of days, with the rising cases in the country, many have questioned the timing of the IPL in such a time. 

The BCCI is adamant that the tournament will continue. The tournament, though, has been marred by the pull-out of players. Even before IPL 2021 began, Josh Hazlewood and Josh Philippe of Australia made themselves unavailable citing bio-bubble fatigue. As the tournament progressed, Liam Livingstone, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson have all pulled out. The Australian and England players have cited personal reasons. It is believed the rising coronavirus cases is a major reason. 

What has come as a jolt is that Ravichandran Ashwin has also taken a break from IPL 2021 as his family battles coronavirus. The withdrawal of Ashwin has resulted in some worried faces and some are questioning whether this is the right time for the IPL to continue.

India facing massive covid issue

Every city where the IPL will be played is a hotspot. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Ahmedabad are seeing a massive surge of cases. Bangalore is entering a 15-day lockdown period. The situation in Kolkata is grim. Delhi has extended lockdown by one week to May 3 while in Mumbai, it continues to suffer. 

The foreign players pulling out of the IPL makes sense, particularly in case of Australia. India is on the ‘red list’ in many countries, meaning travel to and from the country is banned. New Zealand has banned travel till April 28. The restrictions in Australia are becoming tighter. 

The IPL is in the crossfires. In 2021, amidst fans, broadcaster and stakeholder pressure, the tournament was played in India. With over 22 lakh cases and with medical facilities been stretched in the last one week, the calls for the tournament to not be played in this environment is legitimate.

IPL a soft target?

However, how does one cope with the situation? Sport is one thing that is elevating some mental fears amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The thought of action is helping people break the monotony of continuously staying at home.  

But, the IPL and players cannot ignore the broader picture. At a time of suffering, it is impossible for the cricketers to be within a bubble. Pat Cummins has made a donation to PM Cares to elevate the sufferings. The BCCI and Indian players had contributed in the first wave. But, it must go beyond this. After all, mental health and the welfare of the families is also a priority.

In batting, timing should be perfect for the right results. In the case of IPL 2021, the timing has gone missing due to the pandemic. 

The views expressed by the author are personal and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the organization.