The coronavirus pandemic has forced many countries to go into lockdown. Due to which a negative atmosphere has been created amongst people from across the world. In India, the third phase of lockdown has been started. The country has been under lockdown for more than a month now. No wonder, it has impacted several people mentally as nothing positive is coming out. However, former India opener, Gautam Gambhir, has a solution to get away from the negative vibes.
The cricketer-turned-politician believes that the India Premier League (IPL) has the power to lift up the mood of the nation and eliminate the negativity that has been spread due to the Covid-19 catastrophe.
While speaking to sports journalist Vikrant Gupta, Gambhir said that at present nothing can be better to change the mood of the country than IPL.
“As a politician, if you ask me, then I would say it is very important for us to save the lives of the people. But if you want to change the mood of the country, not all IPLs are to win or lose; some are to change the mood of the country. So there could not be anything better than IPL for that,” Gambhir was quoted as saying on the show.
The 13th season of the cash-rich league was supposed to begin from March 29 in Mumbai, but due to the spread of the deadly virus, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) first suspended the lucrative league until mid-April and then later postponed it for an indefinite time.
Gambhir said that if IPL takes place this year then the franchises shouldn’t see it as an opportunity to win anything, but they should instead look it to change the spirit of the nation.
“I know, many people will say that IPL is more important for you, but personally, if IPL happens this year, as an Indian I feel, then any franchise should not look it from the way of winning or losing, they should look it in a way to change the spirit of the nation,” added Gambhir.
Gambhir also added that IPL would help to bring down the negativity and eventually people would notice a change in atmosphere. The 38-year-old said that even if the IPL takes place without the involvement of foreign players, it would still help the people to switch the mood.
“When the world has been brought to a standstill, then there seems to be negativity around, but when people will watch IPL, the atmosphere would change. So this IPL would be the most special of all the IPLs in the past 12 years. Even if it happens behind closed doors or without overseas players, or whoever wins, it does not matter; eventually, the nation will win,” Gambhir added further.