'There is always a second inning' - Sachin Tendulkar feels its time to draw lessons from Test cricket in the battle against Coronavirus

The whole world is reeling under the pressure of the coronavirus pandemic which has gotten worse in certain areas of the globe. Countries like Italy, Spain, China, Iran, Germany, and the USA are struggling to contain the virus and keep their citizens safe. Italy has ordered a complete lockdown of the entire country, while Spain is in the process of doing the same.

Meanwhile, India, on the other hand, has been vigilant in its efforts to battle the deadly virus and has experienced just over 200 cases and 5 deaths so far. The Indian government has suspended all visas till April 15 and stopped international flights altogether till March 31. Even cricket has taken a backseat, as BCCI suspended all domestic cricket including the IPL for time being, with an eye for avoiding mass gathering of people.

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has been spreading awareness about this deadly virus by sharing videos of how to maintain proper hygiene by showing how to wash hands properly and other must-do activities. He even called to draw lessons from Test cricket in his latest column for the Times of India, in the battle against the COVID-19 virus.

“Cricket is a unique sport. There has been much debate about the relevance of Test Cricket in the fast-paced T20 world. While the world battles the Covid-19 pandemic, this is probably the time for all of us to draw lessons from the grand old format of the game,” told Tendulkar to the Times of India.

Test cricket is about staging comebacks, says Sachin Tendulkar

He mentioned that Test cricket teaches you patience when you do not understand certain things. It rewards you when respect something that is dangerous and stay patient for some time. He said that the pandemic is something he hasn’t ‘seen anything like this’.

“Test cricket is about staging comebacks. There is always a second inning if you’ve missed the first one. Different countries are at different stages of their fight against coronavirus. But with a positive mindset, all of them can overcome this pandemic in their own ways,” he further wrote.

In India, the cases of COVID-19 have gone upto 223 as per metrics of worldometers.info with 5 deaths. PM Narendra Modi has called for all the citizens of the country to stay indoors from 7 am to 9 pm, on Sunday, March 22, 2020, in order to stay safe from the virus and show that patience wins in the end.

“All nations should consider themselves part of one team. They should talk to each other, keep themselves motivated, pat each other’s backs after a long day’s play and come back harder the next day to continue the fight. This pandemic has been a true test of our character, but it has also brought all of us together. We shall take this battle session by session, and eventually emerge victorious,” Tendulkar concluded.