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In what could be a huge development, the sport of cricket is set to move into a Premier League-type model moving out of the current bio-bubble system. It is being learnt that the bio-bubble issues were discussed at International Cricket Council’s Chief Executives Committee meeting on Friday and it was here the members agreed that the current bubble model was not a practical idea in the long run.
A source close to the ICC has suggested that a Premier League-type model where there is no bubble as such but all the stakeholders of the fixtures get tested regularly could be the way to go about things. "In the Premier League, they don’t even send the close contacts to isolation. Only those who test positive, go into quarantine," the source was quoted as saying in a report by Indian Express.
Citing an example from Premier League, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho, was fearful of the fact that he might test Coronavirus positive for being Matt Doherty’s contact. However, after he returned negative for the dreaded virus, he was deemed good to go for the match.
The decision is a significant one since bubble life has been impacting the mental health of cricketers, especially players of teams with packed cricketing schedules. Issues such as bio-bubble fatigue and other concerns have also been cited by various players.
If you’re in a bubble as well, your average will come down: Shastri
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri whose stint with the Indian team recently ended shed light on the bubble life.
"When you’re six months in a bubble… there are a lot of players who play all three formats of the game. In the last 24 months, they’ve been home for 25 days. I don’t care who you are, if your name is Bradman, if you’re in a bubble as well, your average will come down because you’re human,” he had said at the post-match press conference after his last game in charge.
England have already adopted the policy that players can come in and go out as and when they feel that the bubble is impacting the mental health of cricketers.