While the future of Indian Premier League this year remains in limbo, defending champions Mumbai Indians will start training from Thursday at the Reliance Corporate Park in Ghansoli. All cricket activities in India including outdoor training have been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic. With the Indian government easing lockdown restrictions, the teams are charting out plans to resume training.
However, there’s no clarity when competitive cricket will get underway in the country with more coronavirus cases being reported everyday.
“Mumbai Indians have given the option of training to us,” Suryakumar Yadav told The Indian Express “I am eagerly looking forward to getting there. There is nothing like the feeling of holding the bat again. I have hardly stepped out of home in the last two months and have certainly missed playing.”
MI cricketers including captain Rohit Sharma, allrounder Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, bowler Dhawal Kulkarni, and wicketkeeper-batsman Aditya Tare and Yadav, who live in Mumbai, have been extended the invitation to resume training.
Safety protocols will be followed including social distancing measures. “We are told that all guidelines will be followed including social distancing. And that we might practice with the bowling machine and get some time to bat in the middle,” Yadav said.
International cricket looks all set to resume next month with West Indies arriving in England for a three-match Test series earlier this week.
Teams across the world including England, West Indies and Australia have resumed training.
It seems highly unlikely that the T20 World Cup will be held this year and should the marquee event be cancelled, BCCI is aiming to use that window to conduct IPL in some form.
