Sydney: Cricket in front of empty stands came up for discussion between Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon and pacer Mitchell Starc with both wondering how Indian captain Virat Kohli would adapt to such an atmosphere if their Test series this year is held without fans.
India are set to play a four-match Test series in Australia later this year. But with the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc, speculation is rife that the games could be held behind closed doors.
This led Lyon and teammate Mitchell Starc to discuss how Kohli’s on-field demeanour would change without the backing and noise of the crowd, something the Indian captain thrives on.
“He’s probably good enough to adapt to any scenario. But I was talking to Mitch Starc the other day and we actually said that if we are playing with no crowd, it’ll be quite amazing to see Virat trying to rev up the (empty) seats,” Lyon was quoted as saying by ‘cricket.com.au’.
“It’s going to be a little bit different, but Virat is a superstar. He’ll be able to adapt to any climate that we’re able to play in,” Lyon added.
Sports calendars have been shredded worldwide, including international and domestic cricket all over.
Last month, Australia’s ODI series against New Zealand was called off after the first match. The 32-year-old Lyon is still excited by the prospect of the series against India.
“I’m excited about the prospect of India coming out to Australia, it’s up there with the biggest series alongside the Ashes. They’re an absolute powerhouse of the cricket world, and to have those guys out here is going to be fantastic,” he said.
