Opinion: Should BCCI Ban IPL Amidst Corona Crisis

The second wave of coronavirus is turning out to be deadly in India. We are witnessing more than 3.5 lakh cases every day and thousands of people are passing away by getting infected with the virus. The government is asking people to stay indoors and not come out of their homes unless it is absolutely necessary. Meanwhile, some states have imposed lockdown and night curfew as well. The government is not in a mood to implement a complete lockdown in the country but if the situation goes out of hand, there will be no other option.

Amidst this crisis, people are voluntarily coming forward to extend their support to others in procuring hospital beds, oxygen cylinders, emergency medicines, and ventilators. The hospitals are constantly stressing about the shortage of oxygen. Social media is almost filled with COVID requests. From morning to evening, there is someone or the other posting a request and other netizens amplifying the same. Literally, there is nothing more being talked about on social networking platforms.

However, one thing which is continuing to happen despite the COVID-19 scare in the country is the Indian Premier League. Last year, the BCCI conducted IPL in UAE and this year, the board obtained permissions to carry out the league in India itself. All the players and support staff of IPL stay in bio-bubbles with no contact with the outer world. Thus, the IPL board says that it is safe in continuing the tournament as no one participating or working for it is in contact with the outer world.

The cricket fans witnessed 20 games so far and all of a sudden, there is noise around the tournament that it should get banned. There is this sudden debate that popped up on social media that IPL should be banned. People are questioning the government and the BCCI’s ethics for continuing the league amid the crisis. A couple of days back, former Aussies cricketer Adam Gilchrist questioned why IPL is being held when the country is fighting the COVID-19 second wave. Gilchrist played for Deccan Chargers in the IPL.

“Best wishes to all in India. Frightening Covid numbers. #IPL continues. Inappropriate? Or important distraction each night? Whatever your thoughts, prayers are with you,” he wrote in a Tweet.

Also, popular newspaper daily The New Indian Express decided to suspend IPL coverage.

“India is going through its worst phase of the Covid pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of people are struggling, many in vain, to exercise their right to live, as a ramshackle universal healthcare system proves that it has no answers to the challenges posed by a creepy bug. The health ministry’s daily bulletin of fresh positive cases and fatalities has hit the stratosphere, so have SOS messages from individuals and hospitals seeking oxygen refill and lifesaving medicines. Hospitals refuse fresh admissions for want of Covid beds. The rush at crematoriums is heart-breaking. Most of us already have friends or relatives who have succumbed to Covid-19 or are battling for life. In such a tragic time, we find it incongruous that the festival of cricket is on in India, with layers of bio bubbles creating protection. This is commercialism gone crass. The problem is not with the game but its timing. Cricket, too, must accept that we are passing through an unprecedented crisis. In the circumstances. The Sunday Standard and The Morning Standard will suspend IPL coverage in the newspaper with immediate effect till a semblance of normalcy is restored. This is a small gesture towards keeping the nation’s attention focused on life and death issues. We are sure that our readers will see the point. These are times when we must stand as one nation with one resolve,” the people at TNIE mentioned.

Ever since they made the announcement, the debate on the IPL ban picked up attention.

To be honest, IPL is the only distraction that people are getting in these tough times. Most of the people are staying at their homes and are being anxious due to the isolation and lack of work. Cricket is a huge form of entertainment for Indians and it is providing that much-needed entertainment in these tough times. With the theatres remain closed, and no other source of entertainment, everyone is turning to IPL for relief. A lot of people who are suffering from COVID and who are recovering from COVID have mentioned the same on social media. Many others are also feeling uneasy, witnessing a lot of information on COVID and their only way of distraction is IPL currently. As players are staying in bubbles, there is nothing wrong in continuing the tournament, argue the cricket fans. If at all there is a hint that the players or staff taking part in the tournament are at risk, we can push the debate of the IPL ban forward.

BCCI and IPL board are also taking some steps to educate viewers on the importance of social distancing, wearing masks and using hand sanitizers in the time of crisis. In the last few matches, IPL aired some of the clips featuring players and commentators asking people to stay home in order to stay safe in a time of crisis.

Meanwhile, some of the players are leaving the tournament midway citing various reasons. England player Liam Livingstone went back home due to bio-bubble fatigue. Australian players Kane Richardson, Andrew Tye, and Adam Zampa also left for their country citing personal reasons. It is being said that we can expect more Australian players going back home because their country is limiting the passenger inflow from India. Ravichandran Ashwin took a break from the league as his family is fighting the coronavirus.

In the middle of everything, the IPL is the only medium of entertainment for a majority of people in the country now.

On the whole, the future of this year’s IPL looks bleak. It may continue or get halted at any point from now on, looking at the current scenario. But, the fans are praying that the tournament continues without any hurdles.