"We were locked away for 10 weeks in hotel rooms, had slow wi-fi, and couldn't even stream Netflix" - Stuart Broad opens up about India Tour in February
England pacer Stuart Broad recently opened up about his experience of staying in a strict bio-bubble during the India tour earlier this year in February. Broad explained that due to his own experiences of playing cricket in pandemic times, he understands the panic of Indian players before the fifth Test at Old Trafford.
Stuart Broad sympathized with the Indian players' decision of having apprehensions to take the field due to Covid fears in a foreign country. Earlier this month, after their physios returned positive results to the RTPCR test ahead of their fifth Test match, Indian cricketers decided not to play in that game.
But ever since then, several former England cricketers like Michael Vaughan have been slamming Indian cricketers. They are accusing them of prioritizing the IPL over Test cricket.
🏴 England have arrived in India for their four-Test series, which begins in Chennai on 5 February.
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Stuart Broad gave his views on the situation in his column for the Daily Mail and wrote:
I am certainly not going to preach that what they did was wrong because I remember how I felt for the last Test match in Ahmedabad, having been locked away for 10 weeks in hotel rooms. We'd not seen other human beings, been kept away from our families, had slow wi-fi and couldn't even stream Netflix.
By the end of it we were worn down and the thought of then potentially catching the virus during those final few days of the tour — and having to spend another fortnight locked away — made me feel quite unstable.
He continued:
I know Michael Vaughan was quite vociferous, saying India's decision was all about the IPL riches — and I am not saying it didn't play its part — but I can understand them panicking so close to their flights out.
BCCI has offered to reschedule the fifth Test at a later date. The ECB is yet to officially respond to the offer.
"I hope Australia would be less restrictive" - Stuart Broad on bio-bubble rules during the Ashes
Stuart Broad then explained how difficult it is for players to play at high intensity after serving long quarantines. He then hoped that things would be a bit more flexible in Australia during the Ashes tour in December and January.
In this regard, Broad wrote:
"You cannot expect an elite sports team to sit in hotel rooms for 14 days and then expect players to go out and play again at a high intensity. We've lived in bubbles where we haven't been allowed outside our rooms. In India last winter, we couldn't even go to the hotel reception for a coffee. But I would hope Australia would be less restrictive."
The 2021 Ashes series will commence on December 8. Stuart Broad has confirmed that he will be available for the tour.