IPL 2021 suspended: Chris Morris discloses chaotic scenes in RR camp on suspension of the tournament

IPL 2021 suspended: Chris Morris discloses chaotic scenes in RR camp on suspension of the tournament

Chris Morris

Rajasthan Royals (RR) all-rounder Chris Morris recalled the surreal scenes in their camp that appeared on the suspension of IPL 2021. The Proteas cricketer said that things were quite normal before their Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara broke the news to the team members. 

Morris told that Sangakkara ‘drew his finger across his throat’ to inform that it was over. He narrated how this created a chaotic atmosphere, especially in the England contingent where everyone was clueless.

“I was chatting to our team doctor, whose room was across the hallway from mine in the hotel and Kumar (Sangakarra) came around the corner and drew his finger across his throat. It was then that we knew it was over. And it was chaos! The England guys especially were panicking because they needed to isolate in hotels in England first, and apparently, there weren’t any rooms,” Morris told IOL.

“The moment we heard that players were testing positive inside the bubble, everyone started asking questions. The alarm bells definitely started going off for all of us. By Monday, when they postponed that game (KKR vs RCB), we knew the tournament was under pressure to continue,” Morris added.

Morris lauded Royals’ management for their conduct

Sanju Samson and Kumar Sangakkara
Sanju Samson and Kumar Sangakkara

The 34-year old heaped praises for Rajasthan Royals’ support staff members on how they made everyone feel as comfortable as possible. Morris remembered how he tried to settle the nerves of young South Africa cricketer Gerald Coetzee.

“The Royals’ management were brilliant, they had their fingers on the pulse. They made everyone feel as comfortable as possible. I know poor Gerald was panicking a bit, I mean he’s only 20 and all this is going on. I tried to keep him under my wing a bit and made sure he was ready when the 12.30 am pick-up came at the hotel. It was eerie, it was just a handful of us in that whole hotel at the time,” said Chris Morris.

Chris Morris alongside other South African players have already reached back home but are currently serving a mandatory quarantine period before returning to their families.

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