Sri Lanka coach Mickey Arthur believes that the cricket will go through financial struggles, as will all the other fields once the coronavirus crisis subsides. The coronavirus pandemic has forced a halt to international and domestic cricket around the globe.
"I just see how badly the cricket world has been disrupted, but that's just a microcosm of what's happening in the real world," Arthur told ESPNCricinfo.
"People are losing their lives, governments are at loggerheads. It's almost surreal. The cricketing world is going to struggle financially. The world as we know is going to change."
The Sri Lanka coach also talked about the resumption of the sport, insisting that his side would need a training camp of four-to-five days to build back the momentum they had before coronavirus pandemic put a standstill on the game. Arthur had taken charge of the team in December 2019 and his first assignment was the team's tour of Pakistan earlier in the year. (ALSO READ: No risks should be taken: Matthew Hayden on India-Australia series)
"It might take a little camp of four to five days away as a unit just to get back the camaraderie and the spirit we had built. The key is for players to enjoy the environment, to feel they are valued and that they can trust the system. Those are things you work damn hard for as a coach," Arthur said.
England's two-match Test series in Sri Lanka was one of many international series that have been indefinitely postponed due to the pandemic. The England Test team left Sri Lanka days before the series was to start.
"I remember when we flew back from Zimbabwe in January, our physio was handing out masks as we were going through Dubai airport. I actually didn't put one on. I saw probably 60% of people in the airport with masks, but thought nothing was going to happen," he said.
"Then we got into the West Indies tour [at home] and bubbling away in the background was this chatter always about coronavirus. (ALSO READ: Hopeful of IPL happening, RCB is ready: Mike Hesson)
"Then England arrived and I was actually at the ground and we were watching the practice match when I got the call from the CEO to head to Sri Lanka Cricket's headquarters. They said the tour is off. You sit back and think, "Wow, what now?" he said.
Earlier, the Sri Lanka Cricket had proposed India and Bangladesh to tour the island nation for their respective series in July/August. India are scheduled to play three T20Is and three ODIs against Sri Lanka, while Bangladesh have three Test matches scheduled against the side.
(With inputs from IANS)
