Australia cricketer David Warner opened up about his experience with the COVID-19 situation in India during his time in the country. Warner was the skipper of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) that was suspended over the worsening coronavirus situation in the country. 

He said that it was “upsetting” to see what the country was dealing with, and also narrated his experience with the pandemic during the IPL. 

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“I think it really hit home when everyone saw that piece on the TV about what was happening in India with the oxygen”, said Warner on Nova 96.9’s radio show Fitzy & Wippa. “You know, people on the streets lining up to cremate their family members and we did see that a couple of times going to and from the grounds. Open fields and stuff. You know, it was terrifying. And it was just really upsetting from a humanitarian point of view”, the opening batsman said.

IPL 2021 was suspended in April in the wake of the rising COVID-19 cases in the country. And the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the remainder of the IPL will be played in the UAE. After the tournament was brought to an abrupt pause, Warner was one of many Australians in the IPL who had to fly back to Australia via the Maldives.

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“I think the right decision was made (to suspend the IPL). Got into the bubble, which was obviously going to be a challenge once we started moving, getting on and off aircraft. But look, they did their best…”, said Warner.

“It was challenging. We had to get out of there ASAP. We were there (in the Maldives) with other people and they were there for the same reasons; getting out of India”, added Warner, reported Hindustan Times.