Mumbai Indians fielding coach James Pamment revealed an interesting insight on the recently IPL 2021, saying some of the Indian players didn’t like being told what to do or be restricted.
Despite his comment on Indian players, however, Pamment said at no point did he feel that there was a breach of the health safety regulations within MI’s camp.
Pamment has reached home in New Zealand after the IPL 2021 was called off last week due to multiple COVID-19 positive cases and bio-bubble breaches.
Pamment travelled back with fellow Kiwi men Trent Boult, Matt Henry, James Neesham, and MI bowling coach Shane Bond to Auckland. He said the moment the tournament was paused indefinitely. He knew that travelling back to New Zealand was going to be a challenge.
“Some of the senior Indian guys don’t like being restricted and told what to do, but we did feel safe – at no point did we feel the bubble would be compromised, the challenge was the travel,”
he told stuff.co.nz.
Pamment further revealed that some Indian players had family members who were getting sick, but it didn’t drown their spirits and they wanted to continue playing the IPL 2021. Pamment added he feels fortunate to be part of a league such as the IPL, especially being involved with five-time winners MI.
“But we started to get Indian guys in our environment whose families were very sick. There were bereavements as well and we were taking a bit of a cue from those guys who were saying ‘no, we want to carry on’ and the messages were coming back that this is a good distraction,”
“And it is an Indian league, run by Indian people for the Indian audience in the main and we’re just fortunate to be there to be providing our professional services,”
Pamment added.
Defending champions Mumbai Indians won 4 and lost 3 of their 7 matches that were played in Chennai and Delhi before the IPL 2021 was postponed.
