Ground staff finding it tough to deal with coronavirus lockdown norms

It has been a tough time for ground staff at all cricket venues across the country. The lockdown to combat the spread of coronavirus has made life extremely difficult for these caretakers, who are expected to continue doing their job throughout the crisis.

Most of the state cricket associations have cut down on the size of the ground staff, and so maintaining the venues has become considerably more - or five times more, to be precise - difficult. Only one-fifth of the actual staff are at work, and they have been entrusted with the management of all the affairs – which includes maintaining the pitch, the outfield and the ground as a whole.

To start with, reaching the venue itself has become an onerous task. Most of the employees are stopped by the policemen on their way to work, and questioned why they are outside their homes.

Some of the groundsmen are wriggling out of the predicament by calling up their seniors and making them talk to the policemen. But some aren't able to do so, and are faced with regular delays and inconveniences.

No cricket means maintenance with smaller staff

The ground staff size has drastically reduced in stadiums

There are no cricket matches happening right now, but this is the peak of summer. In other words, there is plenty of work still to be done at cricket grounds.

Regular maintenance tasks like chopping the outfield grass, watering the pitch with occasional rolling etc. have to continue despite the lack of action, for fear of irreparable damage being done to the ground.

"It is not an easy job for these groundsmen right now. They have always been the first one to come and last one to leave. Even now, things remain the same. The only difference is that there is no cricket happening,” a source said.

There are also reports that some of the groundsmen had managed to leave the big cities just hours after the lockdown was announced. But many others have been left inside the stadiums, and they are the ones helping in the maintenance of the grounds currently.

"The associations are also looking after them. Let's hope things improve in the months to come," the source added.