Lockdown diaries: Parvez Rasool takes to cycling in his backyard
Jammu and Kashmir cricketer Parvez Rasool is cycling to stay fit besides spending time with family during the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus.
Published : Apr 07, 2020 19:13 IST
For the past few weeks, the temperature in Srinagar would fluctuate between 10 and 12 degrees. With the winter slowly making way for summer, Parvez Rasool was getting ready for his pre-season training.
But with the country witnessing a 21-day lockdown due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, things have come to a standstill in Jammu and Kashmir as well. So, these days, Rasool’s routine is simple — wake up early, train a bit at home and spend time with the family.
“This is a very challenging situation across the globe. Everything is shut here as well. But we need to stay indoors and ensure that everyone around us is safe,” Rasool told
“I am doing a bit of training and cycling to stay fit. It is important to focus on the fitness because if you are lazying around, you will gain weight. So, the effort is to stay fit as much as possible, but it is difficult,” Rasool, who is the captain of the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team, said.
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Around this time of the year, the weather is pleasant in Kashmir and that’s when most of the athletes go out and train as much as possible. But this time, all plans had to be abandoned. “Ideally we would have liked to go out and train at the ground, but even that is not possible. But you need to deal with it,” the 31-year-old, who featured in one ODI and a lone T20I for India, said.
However, he is happy to have found some time for the family, which is a rarity in a cricketer’s life. “The family is happy that I am spending so much time with them, so that’s a positive thing. But it is a challenging thing, and I hope that everything settles down soon. It is important to stay safe,” he said.
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Till Monday, Jammu and Kashmir had reported 106 COVID-19 positive cases and with every passing day, numbers are increasing. The supplies are drying up, but with the government and a few NGOs coming forward, it is under control so far.
“It is difficult to get groceries, but we are managing somehow. But people from the lower middle-class are finding it difficult. However, NGOs and governments are helping them out, so as of now, things are fine,” he said.
This year, Jammu and Kashmir cricket team reached the quarterfinals of the Ranji Trophy and narrowly missed out on a semifinal spot — conceding a first-innings lead to Karnataka. The players were looking forward to an early pre-season camp this time around, but those plans changed. “There shouldn’t be any further casualties. That’s all we can pray for,” Rasool said.