Govt’s guidelines raise IPL hopes

MUMBAI: The fresh set of guidelines issued by the home ministry on Saturday, which will follow lockdown 4.0, gives BCCI fresh hope its plan to stage IPL later in the year can be achieved. The guidelines for reopening of activities in three phases seem to point towards resumption of sporting activities in Phase 3.

“Based on assessment of the situation (Phase 3), dates for restarting following will be decided—international air travel of passengers, gymnasiums, swimming pools, social/political/sports/entertainment functions and large congregations,” reads the operative part of the MHA order related to sport.

The second phase of reopening is planned for July, and Phase 3 could kick in anytime after that. “It’s a positive. If international travel resumes, and sporting activities will be allowed, then we can plan for the future,” BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal said.

BCCI has said it is not in a position to consider staging IPL until the monsoon ends. That is unlikely to be before late September. That would again leave the fate of IPL on the T20 World Cup scheduled in Australia for OctNov being postponed. A decision on postponement is expected at the ICC Board meet on June 10.

Staging a national camp for the players to allow them to return to peak fitness levels is some time away. India bowling coach Bharat Arun recently said the players would require six-eight weeks, as well as practice games, to become the well-oiled machines they were. “As far as getting a pool of players together for a camp, again we will have to wait for things to normalise further,” Dhumal said. “What we can have for now is individual players working in facilities in their respective cities, based on advice from state governments.”