Wish IPL-13 To Succeed, It Can Encourage Other Sports Too: Bidhuri

AUG 20, NEW DELHI: Former world championship bronze medallist boxer Gaurav Bidhuri is eagerly waiting for the Indian Premier League (IPL) to begin. The Indian pugilist said if the UAE manages to host the lucrative T20 cricket league without any 'big' problems then it will encourage other sports too.

"Yes, it would be good for us once the IPL begins. We all will get an idea of what precautions and steps we should follow to keep everything safe in order to conduct any event in India," the Delhi-based boxer told IANS.

"Other than that we all will have the confidence once it will telecast on the TV. We all have had a mindset of 'lockdown' for a long time. So we Indians will get a little cheerful and freshen up," he added.

He further went on to say that in many countries, competitions have started with proper precautions and that serves as a good precedence.

"I know it would be the toughest task for the organisers, a small negligence may cost a lot. And in India we can see, every day we are creating new records on COVID-19 cases. So only a proper and well established plan can work. Altogether, athletes and others have to be sincere and act as responsible citizens," he said.

Bidhuri is currently training at his home in South Delhi. With the 57kg Olympic quota still up for grabs, he considered the postponement of the qualifiers as a blessing in disguise.

"In a way it was good (qualifiers postponement). I am still hopeful that I can get a chance this time. Right now, there are three boxers training in the national camp in Patiala. I can understand that SAI doesn't want to call more boxers at the time of Coronavirus," the 27-year-old boxer added.