From Virat Kohli having his hair cut by his Bollywood wife to Ravindra Jadeja on a stallion, India’s superstar cricketers are making the most of their enforced break during the national coronavirus lockdown.
At a time when the Indian Premier League (IPL) would normally be in full swing, Kohli has sent out a number of video messages telling people to stay indoors so that the virus’ spread can be contained.
However, the tweet that got the most media coverage and “likes” — more than 100,000 — was one posted by his actress wife Anushka Sharma of her cutting her style-icon husband’s hair.
At the same time, Kohli, 31, has been chatting live on Instagram with former England star Kevin Pietersen “about what’s happening world over at the moment and also about all the years we’ve known each other.”
Elite cricketers have a relentless travel schedule and while the lockdown is tough for many, Australia coach Justin Langer said that it was “nirvana” for his players to have an extended break at home.
Jadeja has been able to indulge his love of horses, posting a video of himself riding a white stallion. The all-rounder was also seen sprinting without a shirt on a treadmill.
Paceman Jasprit Bumrah, famous for his lethal sling-arm action, is contenting himself with watering plants, and using “this time to reflect on the aspects of my life that are truly important and picking up some new hobbies along the way.”
With many rich and middle-class Indians forced to do the housework themselves because their domestic staff cannot get to work, Bumrah also posted a video of him mopping a floor — less than successfully.
“My modified mobility drills are keeping the house clean and my mother very happy. (P.s — I had to do everything again without the slippers),” the 26-year-old wrote on Twitter along with the video.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which donated US$6.8 million to the prime minister’s coronavirus relief fund, has also kept its Twitter account active with the news of the players during curfew.
Pictures of Test batsman Cheteshwar Pujara with his wife and daughter were displayed on the BCCI page.
“The Pujara family is spending some quality time home. Some household chores & fun time with the little one. Stay Home Stay Safe,” the post said.
Fast bowler Mohammed Shami is “having the most amazing time” with his dog Jack and opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan posted a skit of him doing household chores.
Cricket commentators have also kept the humor alive with witty posts, as India pursues a 21-day lockdown.
The lockdown has left hundreds of thousands of poor jobless, prompting many of them to walk hundreds of kilometers back to their home villages.
“Our hearts are breaking looking at the suffering of so many & we hope our contribution, in some way, helps easing the pain of our fellow citizens,” Kohli tweeted, adding that the couple were donating to relief funds.
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