England opener Jason Roy is wanting to return to playing cricket, whether or not matches must happen behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Jason Roy was in the World-Cup winnint team of England in 2019, had a flavor of playing in an empty stadium within the Pakistan Super League (PSL) earlier this year and said it absolutely was a bizarre experience.
“No atmosphere,” said the 29-year-old. “Simple as that to be honest. It was a very strange feeling.
“You’re used to, as a batsman, with the bowler running in, it being relatively quiet. You learn to block out the crowd but then as soon as that ball’s done you hear the crowd going absolutely berserk and over there when that was the case it was dead silence, it was the strangest thing.”
The PSL, a T20 contest, shut its doors to spectators in March prior to suspending the contest days after due to coronavirus. Despite having that experience, the destructive opening batsman, Jason Roy is eager to come back to playing, with the start of the English season postponed until July 1 at the earliest.
“I’m more than happy to play behind closed doors,” he said. “I think it would be nice just to get out there.”
Roy said the British government’s lockdown meant he was seriously restricted in his capability to practice.
“I’m shadow-batting in the mirror, I’m looking pretty good,” he joked.
“So that’s all I can do, to be honest, hitting a tennis ball against my wall here at home, going a bit stir crazy.”
Roy said the continuing upsetting meant it could make sense to delay the T20 World Cup, scheduled for Australia in October, but he said the players would make sure they were ready if it went ahead.
He said he was happy to begin playing again when asked to by his bosses because he believed their judgement, describing himself as a “pawn in the sporting world”.
Roy was asked about comments made by Barcelona footballer Ivan Rakitic, who told the Spanish press he was ready to take the risk of returning to action despite the virus.
Roy said: “If an individual wants to go onto the front line and put himself at risk then good on him but if someone doesn’t want to, then I don’t think they should be ashamed of it either.
“Whatever’s right in that situation. If the country desperately needs us to play cricket to make themselves feel better… but I’m not sure that’s the case.”
In the meantime, England could start three-Test series against the West Indies on July 8 which has been rescheduled, reports The Daily Telegraph. The series was originally because of start on June 4 at the Oval.
However, due to the coronavirus spreading, the plan has been ruined. Joe Root, the captain of England and his West Indies captain Jason Holder have now been involved in talks over the rescheduling.
