There is great anticipation that international cricket will resume soon and with it some unusual changes.
The most talked-about, of course, is the strong possibility of the sport being played in front of empty stands as a consequence of the ongoing covid – 19 pandemic.
That notion has sparked several debates one in particular, questions whether the competitive rivalry of the sport will be stripped away because of the absence of live fans.
But former test seamer Reon King is contesting that view, revealing to Stabroek Sport that the game’s top professionals will embrace their roles.
“I don’t think the quality of the sport will be diminished because of the absence of fans,” King, who played 69 international matches, said.
“Test cricket is played by well-paid professionals and their skill levels are good enough to execute on the day… the only thing is players will have to get used to not having that extra energy of having the fans around.”
King reminded that during the initial stages of a player’s career, there were no fans and as such, they have to readapt to what he considered, will be the new norm.
“Some people obviously would feed off the crowd. I think most sportsmen appreciate the interactions with crowds; it gives you that extra boost but with what we are going through at the moment, this [playing in empty stadiums] will be the new normal for now and it’s just something we will have to get used to until things return to normal,” the Guyanese, who took 129 international wickets, noted.
King, who plied his trade on the international scene during the late 90s into the 2000s, said the road ahead is going to be an interesting one since some players respond to the reaction of crowds differently.
Some players he said enjoyed heckles from those in the stands and responded with “in your face” performances while others buckled under pressure. The mental side of players, he contended, will be tested in an unusual way.
A few current international stars supported King’s views.
“Think about it, we are walking out to represent our country, three lions on our chest and there is a game that we are supposed to win. So whether it is in front of nobody or like we are used to in front of a full crowd, I don’t think it’s going to take that competitive side away,” Ben Stokes told BBC Radio 5 Live when asked whether the element of competitiveness will be lost even if action unfolds before empty stadiums.
India captain Virat Kohli – one who feeds off the hype around ram-packed stadiums – according to a cricket Australia article, admitted that the “magical” atmosphere will be missing if the cricket season resumes in empty stadiums.
“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,” Kohli said on Star Sports.
“Things will still go on, but I doubt that one will feel that magic happening inside because of the atmosphere that was created.”
The experiment of having fan-less international action happened in March between Australia and New Zealand. Players from both sides conceded that it took some time to adjust to the absence of crowd noise.
“It was certainly weird,” Pat Cummins said.
“Probably in some ways just felt a lot more relaxed than an international game normally,” he added.
The West Indies men’s team is scheduled to tour England in July. The tour is yet to be confirmed but one of the considerations touted is playing behind closed doors at “bio-secure” venues like Manchester, Southampton, and Headingley which boast hotels on location.
Australia and India are also exploring a similar option.
