Indian team is getting ready to face in-form South Africa in the home-bound ODI series. And, in the wake of COVID-19 or Coronavirus outbreak, the Indian team may reduce the use of saliva during this series in a bid to shine the ball. The Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has hinted it ahead of the beginning of the ODI series.
To fight against the threatening coronavirus, the cricket teams are taking some crucial steps at the present moment. The England and South African team have already decided to avoid handshakes at the current situation.
The Indian camp hasn’t announced their view on the celebration process yet.
However, Bhuvneshwar has claimed that they can take extra care of using saliva to shine the ball.
Bhuvneshwar said in the pre-match press conference, “We have thought about this thing (not using saliva) but I can’t say right now we will not use saliva because if we don’t use saliva then how will we shine the ball. Then we will get hit and you people will say you are not bowling well.
“But it’s a valid point and let’s see we will have a team meeting today and whatever instruction we get or whatever is the best option we will do. It all depends on the team doctor and what advise he gives us.”
We cannot avoid fans because they love us, they support us: Bhuvneshwar Kumar
According to media reports, while more than one lakh people globally have been victimised in coronavirus, more than 50 people in India have been affected in this disease.
Bhuvneshwar is still unsure how they will handle the supporting fans in this condition.
The Indian right-arm pacer stated, “Few dos and don’ts which the team doctor wants us to do. Simple things like maintaining hygiene, keep washing your hands regularly and not going closer to fans and all those things.
“But we cannot avoid fans because they love us, they support us. In the meantime, we can try and not get too much closer to them. We can avoid as much as we can.”
Due to the dangerous outbreak of Coronavirus, the IPL 2020 is under the cloud. While Bhuvneshwar doesn’t want to speculate about the future of IPL 2020, he is hoping that this disease will not spread further.
He claimed, “You cannot say anything right now because it’s taking a dangerous situation in India. But we are taking every precaution we can take. We have a team doctor with us and he is giving us instructions about dos and don’ts. So we hope it won’t go (spread) much further.”
Bhuvneshwar Kumar hasn’t played a professional match in 2020 yet. In recent times, he was battling with his fitness issues.
In last January, Bhuvneshwar underwent a successful sports hernia surgery in London. Around two months later of that surgery, he is now ready to come back in the international cricket, where he last played in December 2019.