Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) head coach Simon Katich believes that playing in empty stadiums during the IPL will take some pressure off younger players.
It is the experienced stars who will feel the difference, Katich stated.
“Some of the younger players will enjoy the fact that there is less pressure, with less people at the ground creating all that noise and distraction.
Used to the buzz
“It will be more of a challenge for some of the older guys, who are used to the buzz of the crowd to get the adrenaline going. There’s nothing better than having the crowd behind you when you get going, especially while batting,” Katich said, in a video interview posted on RCB’s Twitter handle.
The absence of spectators will not, however, take away the motivation to perform, Katich said.
Lot at stake
“Players will be motivated. There’s a lot at stake here. The IPL is a big tournament, and players want to make the most of it. There have been plenty of players who have made names for themselves in the IPL,” the Australian said.
Katich acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the availability of players from England and Australia, who are engaged in a limited-overs series until September 16. The IPL commences on September 19, but the match schedule has not been announced yet.
“We don’t have the IPL schedule yet, so it is hard to know if they will miss any games. We’ve been looking at our plans once we realised that there might be a clash, particularly if they have to quarantine once they get here… You can’t get worked up about things that change in the last minute,” he said.
