India and Chennai Super Kings batsman Suresh Raina has said that it is important to be mentally prepared for the upcoming IPL, considering the strict protocols in place to ensure a bio-secure environment amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The 13th edition of the tournament will take place in the United Arab Emirates from September 19 to November 10.
"This IPL, it would be very interesting to see how players are thinking, you are playing in different circumstances, you have a lot of protocols from ICC and at the same time, you are going through tests every two-three weeks, so I would say coming out from all those tests, you need to be clear with your head on what you are going to do on the field because at the end of the day when you are playing a sport, you need to enjoy your game," Raina said on Wednesday during a webinar interaction on the sidelines of the launch of a fantasy gaming app.
"Then you can come out of the ground as a happy soul. So I believe, all tests will be done before the IPL and we will be in a good frame of mind because we all are sitting at home from last five months. I'm looking forward to this."
Raina believes that the wickets in Dubai will be similar to those in Chennai. He also said that the players will have ample time to acclimatize to the conditions in the UAE.
"There (wickets in Dubai) could be Chennai wickets. In this pandemic, a lot of challenges have happened (for the players) and fitness is the key," he said.
"Luckily, we are going early in the UAE, so I think, right now there is humidity in Dubai, the weather is 40 degrees Celsius, sandstorm is there, but the best thing in Dubai is that you don't have logistical problems, it is 45 minutes from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, you go from there to Sharjah, it's 40 minutes," said Raina who was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team.
The left-handed batsman also said during this long break due to the pandemic, he got time to reflect on the time he spent on the field and analyse his performances over the years.
"We have not had such a long break. You look back at your old innings. You reflect on what you were thinking at that time and try to analyse. So when I hit the greens now, I feel we will enjoy a lot this time," said the CSK star.
