Virat Kohli feels IPL 2020 can be shifted to Dubai

Former Indian cricket team pacer Atul Wassan believes that the IPL could be held in Dubai this year. Speaking to Shanivi Sadana of Sportskeeda on a Facebook live chat, Wassan spoke about how the IPL could happen in September in the Emirates, as per his conversations with skipper Virat Kohli and some other players.

“Now people say that… In fact, I was talking to some of the players… Virat also… that there might be a chance and we might have the IPL in some kind of format in Dubai, in September. So I think that’s where the focus is,” Atul Wassan said.

With the Covid-19 pandemic bringing the whole cricket world to a stop, there has been an uncertainty over the IPL this year. Wassan went on to explain that it is better to hold the event in a well-connected city like Dubai since it would reduce the amount of travelling between the stadiums, and the players could, thus, avoid flights altogether during the tournament.

The 52-year-old also added that all the travelling between cities and moving from hotel-to-hotel would put players and fans at risk, considering the situation the world finds itself in currently.

While IPL may happen this year, Wassan believes Ranji Trophy will not

When asked about domestic competitions in India, the former Delhi pacer made it clear that he believes that it is unlikely that the Ranji Trophy or any other domestic tournament will take place this year.

“No, I don’t see that happening. Because there are too many teams, too many matches and too much traveling. The price of flights (are a factor), so this is going to send everything out of the window. The budgeting has to be done, and we don’t know how many flights will start, how many players will get on, how much will the tickets cost,” Atul Wassan added.

Wassan believes that the country is not ready to have the Ranji Trophy in the same format as what we have seen over the years. He did, however, admit that we could see a version of the domestic tournament where the teams play within their own zones.