ICC’s guidelines for cricket resumption very premature, states Aakash Chopra

Cricket is never going to be the same after COVID-19 period comes to an end, with members set to attempt to abide by the guidelines issued by the ICC two days ago. While some of the measures - for instance, players practising social distancing on the field - are borderline hilarious, there have also been other viable safety measures that have been proposed.

After Irfan Pathan was left irked with the numerous guidelines, former Indian opener, Aakash Chopra, echoed in on the same. The former Delhi opener suggested that the guidelines issued by the ICC are very premature considering that cricket is nowhere close to being resumed. 

"To be honest (the guidelines) it is all very premature. Once they get closer to resumption, which will take some time, there will be more clarity," said Chopra, reported Times of India. 

On top of that, the 42-year-old expressed his concern over the regular hand sanitisation after the players come in contact with the ball. Chopra was also critical of the additional measures that the ICC are suggesting, given that the matches would be conducted in a biosecure environment. 

"That (regular hand sanitisation after contact with ball) is obviously impractical but my big question is when the game happens in a bio secure environment and everyone is quarantined and tested, do these additional measures make a difference?” he added. 

"On the field, I can still understand but what happens when you go back into the dressing room? How do you practice social distancing there? So it becomes quite complicated."