The bubble bursts

The bubble bursts

Finally, COVID-19 has breached the IPLfranchises’ ‘safe and secure’ bio bubble.

So, the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been suspended indefinitely. Officially, they tell us, the reason is that the bio-secure bubble was inexplicably breached and then, before we knew it, the cricketers and support staff started falling prey to the accursed virus one after another. Since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is quite concerned about the “health and wellbeing” of the IPL players, it was left with no option but to suspend the matches. Well, cutting clear of all the jargon that is being thrown at us, and more of it will come our way in the coming days, here’s a simpler, possible narrative. The greed of the cricket authorities managing the show — namely the BCCI, the various State cricket Boards and the IPL governing council — is mainly responsible for the current fiasco. Remember, even when the situation wasn’t dire last year, they arranged for the matches to be held in the UAE and even roped in a company, renowned globally for its expertise in creating and maintaining bio-secure bubbles.

So, especially this year when the situation has rapidly worsened in terms of the exponentially rising cases and the healthcare personnel and equipment are stretched thin, what was the need to organise the tourney in India? And that, too, without re-engaging the bio bubble firm which had performed its duties last year with aplomb and finesse. Only because the cricket authorities wanted to save cheap pennies, even though it was crystal clear even before the start of the tournament that COVID-19’s second wave, with its more virulent and burgeoning strains and mutants, was a definite risk to everybody associated with the cash-rich league. Another point: Just as they now started contemplating moving all the machinery and paraphernalia from Ahmedabad and Delhi back to the Wankhede and DY Patil stadia in Mumbai, why weren’t the authorities content to host all the matches in Mumbai and Pune in the first place; something that would have helped the teams avoid air travel and significantly cut their exposure risk? But, no, the State cricket associations also needed to be kept in good humour with a slice of the profits’ pie! Hopefully, the cricket authorities won’t plan to resume the IPL in a hurry. In this hour, when our nation needs all possible help from all quarters, let’s not get busy listening to the tinkle of silver and neglecting human life. Basically, let it not boil down just to the lure of lucre.