Describing the country's fight against the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic as the "mother of all world cups", India's head cricket coach Ravi Shastri on Wednesday (April 15) said that the deadly virus has put the whole world in a situation where everyone has their backs to te walls.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Shastri tweeted a video message urging people to take inspiration from sports to fight the pandemic. "Today, the COVID-19 corona have put us in a situation where we have our backs to the walls. To combat this COVID-19 corona is like chasing a world cup, where you give your everything and try to win it," said the 57-year-old former India all-rounder.



"What's staring you in the face (COVID-19) is no ordinary World Cup, this is the mother of all World Cups, where not just 11 are playing but 1.4 billion are in the playing arena and competing. Come on guys, let's do it together. Let's get out there, a brute force of 1.4 billions and beat this corona and get our hands on the world cup of humanity," he added.


Shastri lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for leading the nation from the front in its fight against coronavirus.


"Guys we can win this, but for that you've got to observe the basics. We've got a Prime Minister who is leading from the front, ahead of the curve," Shastri said.


"You have got to obey the orders that come from the top, be it the centre, be it the state or be it from the people in the front-line who are risking their lives. Two orders that stand out; staying home and maintaining social distancing. It isn't easy but to win the game, you've got to go through the pain, to break the chain," he added.


In March, Shastri had appealed to the people to stay home at all costs, saying the "only thing flying around the world like a tracer bullet is this bloody Corona".