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Big squads needed to combat ‘bubble fatigue’, says Ian Chappell
LONDON, Dec 18, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Former Australia captain Ian Chappell
believes teams such as India will need increasingly large squads to help them
combat “bubble fatigue” as they press ahead with extensive touring schedules
amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Leading Indian players have been in a series of bio-secure bubbles since
September, initially while taking part in an Indian Premier League moved to
the United Arab Emirates on health grounds.
Travelling to Australia, they again underwent quarantine ahead of the
ongoing Test series.
Bubble fatigue has already become an issue for a number of England players,
with the likes of Tom Banton and Tom Curran citing it as a reason for their
withdrawal from contracts in Australia’s Big Bash League.
The problems of playing cricket in the pandemic were highlighted when
England, who pioneered international cricket’s return under the shadow of
Covid-19 recently cut short their tour of South Africa on health grounds amid
concerns that their hotel bubble had been breached.
“I have never experienced anything like this, and I am not surprised some
players have started to talk about bubble fatigue,” Chappell told reporters
in a conference call organised by Ray Events.
“We had a couple of England players who have already pulled out of the BBL
for that reason.”
Early in the New Year, India are set to host England in four Tests, five
Twenty20 and three one-day internationals, with all of those matches set to
be played in bio-secure conditions.
“If you look at what India have got coming up, they are going to need a
huge squad of players,” said Chappell.
“I am sure the bubble fatigue is going to kick in so my sympathies with
modern players having to do this,” added the 77-year-old former batsman, who
led Australia’s successful team of the early 1970s. – ‘Stuck in a bubble’ –
“You are going to have situations like you got in South Africa. I am not
surprised that England players have got very nervous and said we are out of
here. We are in this situation where it is going to be very fluid.
“And I think all teams are going to need a big squad of players, not just
because you got to isolate some but because there is going to be this mental
fatigue of being stuck in a bubble,” explained Chappell, who for decades has
enjoyed a successful media career and is now commentating on the Australia-
India series for ABC Radio.
Meanwhile former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin sympathised with current
players but said playing international cricket amid virus restrictions was
preferable to a complete suspension of the sport.
“It is a pandemic situation where nothing can be done because whatever the
rules are they have to follow. If you see, some Pakistan players in New
Zealand, eight or nine players got infected,” said Azharrudin.
“It’s a bad situation for everybody…At least, you are playing, better
than sitting at home and not playing at all. The boards have taken a good
initiative to carry on with the game and, with the bubble, it has succeeded.”
BSS/AFP/GMR/0901 hrs