Long quarantine hasn't bothered me much, I hardly go out: Wriddhiman Saha

Indian wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha has spoken about the mental challenges due to the lack of game time on international tours. In an interview with the Indian Express, the Test specialist talked about his time with the Indian team and how the lack of playtime has affected him during the quarantine.

“I think adjustments become easier for those who don’t think much about what would be happening next. Even when there was no quarantine, I basically used to stay put in my room. I am not someone to go out frequently. That’s why I didn’t find it too difficult to handle,” Saha said.

One of the finest wicket-keepers of the modern generation, Wriddhiman Saha has been away from the game for a long time. Owing to the emergence of Rishabh Pant, he is no longer India’s first-choice wicket-keeper in Tests.

Taking over India’s keeping duties in Tests following the retirement of MS Dhoni, Saha hasn’t put a foot wrong when it comes to the skillset behind the stumps. However, it has been his batting that has been a major issue that has resulted in Rishabh Pant taking over the first-choice wicket-keeper’s slot.

“After I suffered an injury, Dinesh Karthik, Parthiv Patel and Rishabh Pant have played (for India). Rishabh has managed to cement his place through his potential. He has grabbed the opportunity. Now I am (again) waiting for my turn,” Saha said.

The wicket-keeper reiterated the fact that finding a place in the XI or getting dropped is part and parcel of playing the sport. The initial part of Saha’s career coincided with the domination of MS Dhoni. Hence he was hardly part of the playing XI and it was only until his retirement that he played regular Test cricket from 2014-2018.

“Firstly, when Dhoni bhai (MS Dhoni) was there, I wasn’t a regular in the team. I virtually didn’t play at all. From 2014 end to 2018, I played,” Saha said.

After contracting COVID-19 in the Indian Premier League bio-bubble, Saha managed to book a place for the England bound Test squad but unless Pant is injured or the team management wants to give him a rest, Saha is expected to warm the benches for the majority of the tour.

The wicket-keeper batsman has recovered from the virus and is expected to join the Indian team in Mumbai on 24th May.

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PSL 6 might restart in UAE from June 5, players to undergo 10 day quarantine

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CSK bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji calls recovery from Covid-19 an episode of Man vs Wild

The bowling coach of Chennai Super Kings, Lakshmipathy Balaji, who tested positive for Covid-19 while he was with the side in the IPL 2021 said that the isolation period after contracting the virus felt like going through an episode of Man vs Wild. He said that phase took both a mental and physical toll on him. “As I was isolating on my own having tested positive for Covid-19, a thought crossed my mind: recovering from Covid-19, both physically and mentally, is like experiencing an episode of Man vs Wild,” Balaji said ESPNcricinfo. Going back in time when he was infected with the virus, Balaji said that he had felt uneasiness and some covid-19 related symptoms such as body ache some six days after arriving in Delhi from Mumbai. He said that the positive result of Covid-19 left him in shock as he had not done anything to put both himself and his teammates at risk. “On May 2, I was feeling a bit of uneasiness. I had body ache and a mild nose block. I was tested the same day around mid-afternoon. By May 3 morning, I had tested positive. I was shocked. I had done nothing to breach the norms to endanger my and rest of the bubble's safety,” Balaji added. Three members of the Chennai Super Kings franchise including Balaji, bating coach Michael Hussey and CEO Kashi Vishwanathan had tested positive for Covid-19 before the tournament was abruptly postponed by the BCCI.

Varun Chakravarthy yet to recover fully despite testing negative, hopeful of starting training soon

Varun Chakravarthy who was the first player from the IPL bio-bubble to test positive for COVID-19 is yet to fully recover from the after-effects of the deadly virus and is not fit enough to resume his training duties. He is still feeling “weakness and diziness” and is currently recovering at home. Two days after Chakravarthy tested positive, the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League was suspended indefinitely after more cases started getting reported inside respective bio-bubbles. Having tested negative on May 11, the mystery spinner is currently at his Chennai residence trying to get back to full fitness. “I’m now doing well and recovering at home. I still haven’t been able to resume training full-tilt because of post-Covid-19 symptoms. Although I don’t have cough or fever, there is weakness and dizziness,” Chakravarthy was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo. “The loss of smell and taste is still intermittent, but I’m confident of being able to resume training soon,” he further added. With the second wave of COVID-19 having created a ruckus all across the country, Chakravarthy’s first-hand message to his fellow athletes is to not take the virus lightly and give their body atleast a couple of weeks to recover after testing negative for the virus. He urged the other athletes to give their body time to cope with the after-effects of the virus. “The thing I’ve learnt and would like to tell other athletes and individuals recovering from Covid-19 is to give your body at least two weeks to fully recover after you test negative. Also, even after people test negative, my advice is for them to continue to mask up so that you keep others around you safe,” Chakravarthy said. While India had a tough time dealing with the first wave last year, things have worsened drastically this time around. With thousands of death being reported all across the country on a daily basis, it becomes a mental issue for a particular individual who tested positive for COVID-19. “The toughest thing about contracting Covid-19 is keeping your mind distracted, and away from all that was happening. Because you are alone, away from your family and team-mates. To keep myself occupied, I read books by Osho to give me a sense of calm.” The off-spinner who was an integral part of the Kolkata Knight Riders set-up in the 14th edition of the IPL first felt the symptoms back on 1st May when he got tired very early in the training session and felt that something was not right. He reported the issue directly and subsequently he was isolated from the rest of the group. “As to how it all started, I felt something was slightly off on May 1. I felt tired. There was no cough whatsoever, but I had little fever, so I didn’t attend our training session,”the spinner said. “I immediately informed the team management and they arranged for an RT-PCR test quickly. I was immediately quarantined and isolated, away from the rest of my KKR teammates, in a separate wing of the hotel. Soon, I found out that I’d tested positive,’ he further added. He felt a bit worried not only because he had contracted the virus but also for the whole country which has been going through such severe times. Even some of his family members were affected by the deadly virus. “My first reaction was feeling worried, not only for myself but also for what was happening around us in the country. Even a few of my family members were affected by Covid-19. It wasn’t easy, but as professionals, we had to find ways to go about our work in the best possible way,” Chakravarthy said.

Winning overseas is always special: Tim Southee ahead of England Tests

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