MUMBAI, (Reuters) – India captain Virat Kohli said that limiting players to ‘bubbles’ for months on end is not sustainable and that the game must consider scheduling changes to reduce the mental toll journeys that mental missions take during the a COVID-19 pandemic.
Kohli’s comments come as cricketers prepare to enter another restricted environment for two months for the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“As I said, a couple of days ago too, scheduling is something that needs to be looked at in the future,” Kohli said at the presentation ceremony after the final match of England’s tour of India on Sunday.
“Because playing in bubbles for so long, two to three months, is going to be very, very difficult going forward.”
Indian players have hopped from one bubble to the next since September for IPL 2020 in the United Arab Emirates. That was followed by their three-month tour of Australia followed by a two-month home series against England.
They will next join their respective franchises for the IPL bubble, with the eight-team T20 tournament to be played April 9-May 30.
India will then travel to England for the final of the World Test Championship against New Zealand from June 18-22 in Southampton before their five-Test series against England begins from August 4.
While foreign players in need of rest have the option of waiving the cash-rich IPL, their counterparts in India are expected to be available for the annual exhibition tournament organized by the country’s cricket board.
“You can’t expect everyone to be at the same level of mental strength,” said Kohli, who also leads the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the IPL.
“Sometimes you get cooked, and you feel like a bit of a change. I’m sure things will be discussed and things will change in the future as well. ”