Quinton de Kock is a professional South African cricketer who took some break following the lockdown.
He believes that before the start of the tournament, he will be entirely ready to get back in the game. De Kock adds that there is sufficient time for him to resume his normal swing of things. However, it will be more challenging to prepare for the unfamiliar circumstances impacting the matches.
Moving the tournament from UAE to India implies a fundamental change in the nature of the competition. Whereas organizers proceed to work towards filling the stands to nearly fifty percent capacity, some matches may be played indoors. International cricket players must start getting used to playing in the presence of smaller crowds for the foreseeable future. This will be highly evident in the IPL this year since the exciting atmosphere often associated with Indian cricket game will be lacking.
Quinton de Kock notes that everyone will miss the feeling that comes with this atmosphere. Typically, the professional cricketer notes that each game is fully packed. However, de Kock stated that the presence or absence of a crowd does not bother him. Though the player believes he can do without the feeling of being in the stadium, he admits to missing the experience.
Rabada, another cricket player from South Africa, agreed that despite the sterilized setup, the quality of the game would be at an all-time high. He further remarked that it was interesting seeing the global cricket in England. The cricketer believes that at the end of the day, you like cricket due to the skill regardless of the crowds. Being a professional player, Rabada focuses on his skills, which ought to be entertaining people.
Whether the crowd is present or not, the players will be relishing the opportunity to prove their superiority over the others. Every cricketer will show their full potential since they are passionate about what they do. Rabada remarked that they are yet to know if the hype surrounding the game will be the same. Nonetheless, from a competitive standpoint, Rabada is convinced that everything will remain the same.
He believes that the flow of these competitive juices will be crucial, especially in the competition. Only the most courageous players will run into a bowl alongside the biggest stars in India, such as MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, with the wild crowd against you. Luckily, Rabada is the sort of player who relishes such competitions. Rabada mentioned that playing against players such as Dhoni and Kohli in front of incredible crowds is a precious moment.
It is difficult to explain as both parties want to prove a point to each other. Watching the way the crowd supports those cricketers offers an opportunity that you cannot undervalue. It is exciting, and your adrenaline kicks in and keeps you going. A-list sportspeople can find their inspiration from different things. It is unsurprising that de Kock takes on a different perspective. Whereas Rabada is famous for being an emotional cricket player, his captain likes to keep out the noise to concentrate on the task at hand.
Rabada says he sees them just like any other person. He acknowledged that they are big players in India. However, Rabada believes they all own a badge and are focused on the same goal. It is only logical that someone who has taken such responsibility in the field has figured out how to ease the pressure. Having always merged the duties of a crucial batsman with putting on the gloves as a wicket-keeper, Kagiso Rabada has, in the recent past, taken over as the white-ball captain of South Africa. Balancing those two disciplines for South Africa and Mumbai, together with his latest leadership position, can be viewed as a challenging prospect. Rabada has never found this to be a challenge. He has been batting and keeping his entire life and, in the process, found himself managing all these tasks. This time it’s no different as he has not been requested to bowl. If Rabada became the South African’s Test captain, then that would be challenging.
It would have presented him with a significant amount of responsibilities. However, he is perfectly content as a white-ball captain. Rabada has done this before during the Under-19 level. Following the most extended break from their careers, professional cricketers are immediately positioned for a swift change from no games to lots of them. Consequently, it can be those with that sort of adaptability and even temperament that do exceptionally well.
Interview conducted by Betway.