IPL in UAE: Delhi Capitals’ Ravichandran Ashwin takes flight with full COVID-19 protection

Dubai: India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has worn many uniforms in his illustrious career, after starting the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the yellow of Chennai Super Kings, then Rising Pune Supergiants, Kings XI Punjab and now Delhi Capitals in season 13. But before donning on the colours of Delhi, he had a wear a different suit - the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suit.

With teams now jetting off to UAE, Ashwin has taken to Twitter to show the new way to travel during COVID-19 times, sitting in his seat with full protection suit. “Hello World !! #travel #coronaway” was his post.

He didn’t travel without proper advice and tips to stay safe during his flight. His daughters gave him a list of dos and don’ts before embarking, which was shared by his wife, Prithi Ashwin, on her Twitter handle. “No hugging, no kissing and no touching anything” the young daughters warned their father, to which Ashwin duly obliged.

It will be tough for Ashwin and his family to be apart, as the Capitals star will be in the UAE until November, especially after spending months at home due to the restrictions and lockdown. While the weather and conditions will be harsh on Ashwin, his wife had another complaint – a common trait among parents during the pandemic.

“It’s going to be super hard without him, I mean who is going to sit for two sets of online classes now?” Prithi tweeted.

Ashwin will be embarking on a new season as he will have a point to prove that he is still a force to reckon with in the shorter format of the game. The engineering graduate has constantly equipped himself with new skills such as the carom ball to keep the batsmen guessing. During an interview with Gulf News he even mentioned that he is willing to bowl leg-spin to surprise them.

What is the new weapon up his sleeve in the IPL this season? The ball is in the air, we’ll have to wait and see what happens after landing!