IPL 2020: Virat Kohli urges players to follow bio-secure bubble, says 'we are not here to roam around'
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Talking about the strict protocols and bio-secure bubble, India and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli said that players are privileged to play cricket amid a pandemic and wants everyone to respect the enclosed environment where they are putting base.
The bio-secure environment in the much-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 became the talk of town when 13 members, including two players, involved in the tournament tested positive for COVID-19. Talking about the strict protocols and bio-secure bubble, India and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli said that players are privileged to play cricket amid a pandemic and wants everyone to respect the enclosed environment where they are putting base.
Speaking on RCB’s show ‘Bold Diaries’, the RCB skipper said he didn’t miss cricket much during the five-month lockdown while adding players are not in UAE to have fun and need to play for the tournament and their respective franchise.
"We are all here to play cricket...The bio-bubble needs to be respected at all times for the tournament to happen eventually. We are not here to have fun and roam around and you know say that 'I want to hang out in Dubai,'" Kohli asserted.
"That is not the time we are living in. Accept the phase that we are going through and understand the privilege that we have, just to be a part of the IPL. Everyone should accept that and not behave in a manner which situation doesn't require them to," he added.
Kohli hit the nets for the first time after five months and the swashbuckling batsman admitted to being nervous and jittery initially.
"A couple of months back you couldn't imagine that you will have IPL firstly... When we had our practice session yesterday, I realised how long it has been. When I was heading to the practice session, I felt nervous," he conceded.
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"I felt a bit jittery but things were okay. I didn't miss the game as much as I thought I might...just carrying on with life was also important," he said.
IPL 2020 is scheduled to commence from September 19 with the final slated to be played on November 10 in UAE.