Lakshmipathy Balaji recently spoke about the ongoing COVID-19 crisis that has brought the world into a standstill. This has taken several lives across the globe.
“Our ancestors were able to fight diseases. Our parents were able to deal with difficult times. Even we have survived crises, the 2004 Tsunami and the Chennai floods to name a few,” Balaji says. “People are coming together. Countries are offering help to each other, setting aside the differences.”
He was in great form when he made his debut after two years of his India debut. He had become an integral part of a young pace attack as well. However, it all crashed down when he suffered a back injury in 2005 that left him wondering if he would ever be able to back in the field. He underwent surgery and for 3 years, he did not play a lot of cricket as well. For 2 years, he ‘stayed at home and did almost nothing’.
His returned with 11 wickets in 2008 for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League and a 36-wicket Ranji Trophy season helped him to be back in the ODI squad in 2009 and even made it to the Test squad for a tour to New Zealand as well.
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“Respect the time. If you look at how to get through the day, then it’s going to be difficult. You should learn to accept the reality and inculcate self-discipline during these times,” says Balaji when talking about the 21-day country-wide lockdown that has been imposed by the Indian government to fight against the novel coronavirus.
“Even if we have a mild fever, we listen to the doctor. This is a global health crisis, we have to listen to our health officials. The government is trying to do its job by coming up with good measures. We should be able to follow it. One day at a time, if you keep thinking about the isolation, then you will disappoint yourself. Don’t think about what happens with the result. You should try and take it one ball at a time,” he said.
“I missed 2 years of cricket during my back surgery. I am used to sitting at home and doing nothing. If I have overcome that, definitely I can overcome anything. Each and every sportsman would have had their own set of challenges that would have made them stronger,” he shared.
Since his retirement in 2017, Lakshmipathy Balaji has started coaching and is currently the bowling coach of Chennai Super Kings. The break has given him a lot of time to be with his family as well.
“I am engaging in a lot of conversations with my family. I am spending time with my boy, my wife and my parents. Even though we are staying indoors, everyday we are discussing a lot of things. We are looking forward to conversations every day,” Lakshmipathy Balaji said. “Imagine if we were in times where there were no mobile phones and social media. At least now, we are able to keep ourselves updated about what’s happening.”
