‘IPL could be held in Oct-Nov if T20 World Cup doesn’t take place’

New Delhi : BCCI apex council member Anshuman Gaekwad on Wednesday said this year’s T20 World Cup seems unlikely to go ahead, making space for the currently suspended IPL on the calendar depending on the coronavirus situation in India.
The former India coach said cricketers will have to gather all their mental strength to deal with the uncertainty that the pandemic has caused.
“I have my doubts that T20 World Cup will be held this year. About IPL, we cannot think of just now. It will depend on Indian conditions and the window is only during this T20 World Cup which is October-November,” Gaekwad said.
“If the World Cup gets cancelled or postponed, then only IPL can happen but then also it depends on what the conditions are in India,” he said.
Gaekwad believes that the post-coronavirus world will be completely different and players will have to be mentally strong to adapt.
The virus has infected more than 50 lakh people across the world and over 3.25 lak have died. In India the case tally has crossed one lakh and as many as 3,303 people have died from the disease.
“Cricket is not going to be the same, the approach would be different. There will be no crowd in the stadiums. Cricketers are not used to play in empty stadiums.
“It will be one very difficult aspect of playing new type of cricket, “Gaekwad said.
He also said that cricket might resume after at least four months.
“It may take another two months or four months or more to resume cricket. It is not theory that you can read and write. You have to perform so nothing is going to be easy,” he said.
“If you are not mentally strong, it will not be easy,” added the former player, who has played 40 Tests and 15 ODIs for India.