Apart from his giant feats achieved in cricket, ‘Master Blaster’ Sachin Tendulkar is also renowned for having one of the keenest and sharpest cricketing minds.
Former England captain, Nasser Hussain, during his stint in the commentary box once quoted, ‘When the great man (Sachin) speaks, everybody listens’.
A few years back, Sachin proposed a unique solution to the imbalance in ODI cricket, between the team batting first and second, due to the change in conditions and situations throughout the 100-over game.
Sachin went on to state that the ODI game should be played in four quarters of 25 over each, with either team batting twice, to negate the change in conditions such as dew and spin etc.
Now, Tendulkar had his say on the long-standing dilemma concerning the 2020 season of IPL as well the upcoming T20 World Cup.
According to the Mumbaikar, the conduct of the tournament depends on the amount of discipline adhered by the citizens.
“It all depends on how much discipline we show as citizens. If we show good discipline and follow the guidelines properly, then chances of it (IPL happening this year) will increase,” Aaj Tak quoted Tendulkar.
“But some people haven’t followed the rules, that problem will go on only because some people have decided to live life differently. If the IPL does happen this year, then it will be a lot of fun,” added the 44-year-old.
For Tendulkar, the decision of the T20 World Cup lies with Cricket Australia (CA). “The decision regarding the fate of the T20 World Cup rests with Australian cricket board,” he said.
The thirteenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was scheduled to commence on March 29. However, amid the global onset of COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was suspended indefinitely.
The month of September and October is lined up for the T20 showpiece event in Australia. Moreover, it still remains unknown whether the tournament will take place this year, or will be scrapped.
“If they can host the tournament or not, this isn’t the only point that needs to be considered. There are lots of things that need to be considered, for example, the financial aspect. All such things need to click together. It’s a tough decision.”
Recently, the Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison sparked a ray of hope for cricket enthusiasts, by hinting at a limited number of spectators allowed in stadiums.
Further, Sachin also registered his opinion when asked about a limited number of spectators permitted to watch cricketing action in the arenas.
“If fans are allowed to enter the stadiums, then nothing can be greater than that. It would then mean that we are slowly and steadily moving towards normalcy. It will be challenging to create that energy without fans inside the ground,”
“I have come across suggestions that speakers can be used to create virtual noise, but whenever you see someone in the stands, you sometimes get inspired by them… you draw energy from them. If 25 percent fans are allowed in the stadium, then it will be an excellent thing”, concluded Sachin.
