Kolkata: The BCCI’s standard operating procedure (SOP) for state associations due to COVID-19 has left sixty-plus individuals in a dilemma as they are been barred from taking part in the training camps – especially affecting Arun Lal and Australian Dav Whatmore, who are the coaches of Bengal and Baroda respectively.
“Individuals who are over the age of 60 years, viz support staff, umpires, ground staff and those individuals with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, weakened immunity, should be considered vulnerable and are believed to have higher of severe higher risk of severe COVID-19,” read one of the guidelines from BCCI’s 100 page SOP that went out on Monday.
“All such individuals should be discouraged from participating in camp activities unless suitable guidelines are issued by the government.” Both Lal and Whatmore are above 60 years of age and the decision means they wouldn’t be able to join the pre-season camp.
However, countering the SOP, Lal cited Narendra Modi’s example as to how the Prime Minister is running the country at this age. “The Prime Minister is 69 and he’s running the country in these times. Are they telling him to step down?” said the 65-year-old the Bengal coach.
The former Bengal captain also said that one SOP won’t determine how he would lead his life. “Me as a person, whether I coach Bengal or not is immaterial but I will live my life. Don’t expect me that I’m 65 years old, so I will lock myself in a room for the next 30 years. This does not happen like this,” the cancer survivor, who turned 65 on Saturday, said.
The Bengal legend also made it clear that he would adhere to all social distancing norms but won’t just quarantine just like that. “I will take precautions like everybody else — social distancing, hand washing, sanitising, mask-wearing all that I will do. Unnecessarily there will be no foolhardiness.
“But I will not quarantine myself just because I’m 60-plus. Virus does not know the difference between 59 and 60,” he said. Lal, Bengal’s 1989-90 Ranji Trophy triumph hero, was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare type of salivary glands cancer four years back, but overcame the disease and gained abundant hope in the process.
“I’m very fit and strong. In fact, I’ve never been this fitter in my life. I’m not at all worried,” Lal who guided Bengal to their first Ranji final appearance in 13 years last season said. “I know the whole concern is about people above-60. I understand that. But I think things will work out. A couple of months down the line, the virus will start subsiding. Much before any vaccine or anything,” he sounded confident.
