Delhi Capitals batsman Shikhar Dhawan has opened up on the challenges being faced by the players while living in a bio-secure bubble and said “people have to be mentally strong.” However, the 34-year-old himself is not finding it difficult to adapt and said he is looking at this as an opportunity to ”blend” with his teammates. “There are challenges of being in the bubble, you do not meet new people. Our team has an entertainment room, our franchise has looked after us, we are living like a family, it depends on the person how he sees the situation,” Dhawan said in a press conference in Dubai on Sunday.

“It is an opportunity for me to blend with the team-mates. There are no outlets for going outside, people have to be mentally strong, for me it is an opportunity and I am sure I will explore it,” he added.

Initially, the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was slated to begin on March 29 but it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, the tournament will take place in the UAE, starting from September 19.

IPL will be played across three venues – Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.

During the tournament, the players will have to follow several protocols laid down by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) including staying in a bio-secure bubble as a precautionary measure against the virus.