Former Indian players Aakash Chopra and Irfan Pathan fell that some ICC guidelines are impractical and will have to be reviewed soon.

Last week, the ICC shared “back to cricket” guidelines for its member associations planning to resume cricketing activities. The guidelines suggest a 2-week isolation training camp before matches for the teams’ safety.

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Former India pacer Irfan Pathan said, “Social distancing is very doable in an individual sport but very tough in a team sport like cricket and football. If you need a slip during the game, would you not employ it?

Irfan mentioned, “If the team is going through a 14-day quarantine and is being tested for COVID-19, I am fine with that process. Now, after that, if we have more guidelines for the players during the game, then you are making things complicated. Then there is no point of a quarantine period.”

Pathan added, “Safety is paramount but we should not make the game complicated. If a bowler or fielder has to sanitize hands every time he touches the ball, then it would be very difficult”.

He continued with, “You can shorten the process of giving the ball to the bowler. Instead of the usual chain the keeper can straight away give the ball to the bowler. However, even then the bowler will have to sanitize hands six times in an over.”

Former India opener Chopra feels the current situation of preparing guidelines for cricket resumption is still pre-mature. He said, “That is obviously impractical. But my big question is when the game happens in a biosecure environment and everyone is quarantined and tested. Do these additional measures make a difference?

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Chopra 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. To be honest it is all very premature. Once they get closer to resumption, which will take some time, there will be more clarity.”

“By the time cricket resumes, more football would have started after Bundesliga. Cricket can take lessons from there, collect data and ideas, and see what is practical and what is not.”