REMEMBERING SEAN ABBOTT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Cricket, or rather sports, is the last thing one thinks about, when stuck at home away from home during these unforeseen circumstances. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the whole world seems to be at standstill, except within houses, which have now become the haven where official work happens, emotions are shared, games are played, songs are sung, memories down the lane are rekindled, among a thousand other things the human race usually does not tend to do.

What does cricket have to do with this outbreak? Why does someone talk, for the gazillionth time, about this same sport which has supposedly — and one must admit, obviously — destroyed the development of every other equally, if not more, interesting sporting events in the sub-continent. Before I delve deep into this, let me introduce couple of news bits to put things in perspective.

Information #1: Patient — 31 in South Korea spread the disease to 1,160 others.

Information #2: Singer Kanika Kapoor, an Indian based out of London, returned to India on 9 March 2020, and later, tested positive. Not before she had thrown/attended lavish parties, which were attended by several big shots including politicians like Vasundhara Raje.

While the enormity of this seemingly arrogant behavior, especially at a time when medical community around the globe is banging its heads to get on top of the novel Coronavirus, unarguably elicited an outpour of anger in social media, it is unfair to think of these two human beings belonging of the same own race that you the reader and I belong to, as people who “deserve to suffer/die.”

And, this is precisely where the clock turns back for the once cricketing fanatic in me to a particular day — 25 November 2014. Even the non-cricketing fraternity can, in all likelihood, easily relate to the fateful incident that happened on THE day, for it deals with DEATH, and death, as we have realized, for yet another time, in the last fortnight or month, is not something anybody can escape from.

It was a Sheffied Shield first-class match happening at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), the all-time favorite cricketing stadium of the legend Brian Lara (who went on to name his daughter Sydney). South Australia was playing New South Wales. Anybody who knows enough cricket comprehends the importance of Sheffield Shields, which are grooming avenues for budding cricketers in Australia (just like what Ranji Trophy used to be in India, before the arrival of the Indian Premier League). New South Wales bowler Sean Abbott was bowling to South Australian batsman Phil Hughes. There was a bouncer. The ball managed to wade into the barriers of the helmet and hit Hughes. As Hughes, the unarguably ‘non-Australian’ Australian cricketer, not known for his sledging but for exuding a friendly and vibrant aura, fell uneasily to the ground after wriggling for a few moments, the cricketing fraternity knew something was amiss. Little did anybody know this unfortunate delivery would lead to the end of a 25-year-old cricketer, who was lauded to be a batsman with the potential of Lara. On 27 November 2014, two days after the incident/accident, Phil Hughes passed away, still undefeated in his innings at 63 not out. Tributes poured in, players remembered him and his caliber, an inquiry was done to examine the incident, there were loud and plenty appeals to increase the degree of protection of helmets (and other cricketing gears), the perspective of whether the helmet Hughes was wearing was faulty was also investigated. Amidst all this, we all forgot — or rather remembered, and still do — another person concerned with this whole range of events — Sean Abbott, the bowler.

There was public outrage about “the villain who killed Phil Hughes” and “the cricketing barbarian”, while tremendous efforts were taken to ensure that he remained physically and mentally stable and safe. Today, when you search Phil Hughes, the search results include Sean Abbott as well. This begs the crucial question: What does it take to be a Sean Abbott during Covid-19?

Without a taint of doubt, one can easily understand the mental cacophony Sean Abbott would have faced. It does not take even the simplest degree of empathy to relate to how he would have slept on 27 November, 2014, or 2015, or 2016, or any other day after the fateful one. How would he have felt when he gripped the seam of the ball for practicing at the nets for the first time after Hughes’ death? Even if it was a case of genuine intent to bowl a bouncer that targeted the batsman, one can vouch with utmost conviction that Abbott did not want to kill Hughes. At best, the thought would have been: “Let’s try a bouncer. What is the worst that could happen?” The trauma of the events that ensued, and the ethical conflict that surrounded the demise of Hughes, must have completely shattered Abbott. After all, he was just a fellow cricketer, not a repeat criminal offender.

This brings us back to the debate: Do Patient — 31 and Kanika Kapoor deserve to die? Going from the probable perspective of Sean Abbott, I am going to yell, “NO”, vehemently. Yes, the situations are different; yes, we are talking about a pandemic that is highly contagious; yes, it was highly insensitive of them — and many others — to continue social interactions, while they must have been doing the exact opposite. So, why do I negate overwhelming claims that they deserve to suffer and die? Because of the probable question that went through their heads — the one that probably rang within Sean Abbott, as he started his stride for that one delivery which changed everything: “What is the worst that could happen?”; because these two would be remembered in negative light throughout their existence and even beyond for their insensitive actions, which I reckon is punishment enough for them and their near and dear ones; because as human beings, nobody — not Phil Hughes (whose death could not be helped), not Sean Abbott, not Patient — 31, not Kanika Kapoor, not the migrant workers — deserves to die; because only one aspect prevails and should prevail, particularly during unprecedented times like these, and it is HUMANITY.

This too shall pass, and we shall get back with all guns blazing, sooner than later. Until then, get the preparations ready for the guns to blaze at their best.

First published in Pens Turf on March 29, 2020