Those emotions difficult to recreate: Virat Kohli on prospect of cricket behind closed doors

India captain Virat Kohli opened up on the possibility of cricket being played without the crowd after the sport resumes post Covid-19.

The sporting world has come to halt due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and fans are eagerly awaiting the return of cricket. Several tournaments are getting postponed, and there is a discussion going on whether it will be a good idea to play the sport behind closed doors. India captain Virat Kohli may not fully endorse the idea of cricket behind closed doors but he doesn’t entirely rule it out either.

File image of Virat Kohli. (File image)

Highlighting the impact of a live audience, Kohli reckons a cricket match without a crowd is not the same, but if the game is to have a restart, playing inside closed doors seems the way forward. “It’s quite a possible situation, it might happen, I honestly don’t know how everyone is going to take that because we all are used to playing in front of so many passionate fans, I know it will be played at a very good intensity but that feeling of the crowd connecting with the players and the tension of the game where everyone goes through it in the stadium, those emotions are very difficult to recreate,” Kohli said on the Cricket Connected Show on Star Sports.”

The last international match to be played before cricket was halted due to the pandemic was the first ODI between Australia and New Zealand, which was played at an empty Sydney Cricket Ground. Cricket inside closed doors is an idea that has been contemplated – firstly by the IPL governing council, later followed by the ICC and authorities of various cricket boards when they met last month to discuss the resumption of cricket internationally. And while doing so is certainly an idea, Kohli feels the lack of crowd will take the sheen away from the game.

“Things will still go on, but I doubt that one will feel that magic happening inside because of the atmosphere that was created. We will play sports how it is supposed to be played, but those magical moments will be difficult to come by,” he pointed out.

As for Kohli, the skipper has kept himself busy during the lockdown. Kohli, who has conducted Instagram Live sessions with former cricketers Kevin Pietersen and AB de Villiers, in these last 45 days or so, explained his daily routine and how he is keeping himself busy along with highlighting the importance of staying at home, finding motivation and focusing on fitness and training despite the limited conditions.

“I am keeping myself positive and happy and just looking forward in life so that whenever I return to the game, I know I will be in a good position to start from where we left,” he said.