Arun Lal, Dav Whatmore might miss coaching this year due to BCCI’s domestic SOP

BCCI released an SOP for domestic cricket yesterday, stating individuals who are over the age of 60 years, viz support staff, umpires, ground staff and those individuals with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, weakened immunity, should be considered vulnerable, due to them having a higher risk of being affected severely by COVID-19, and thus barred them from attending any preparation camps.

That would otherwise mean Arun Lal and Dav Whatmore, who are coaches of Bengal and Baroda respectively, will have to leave their position for some younger names. "This is SOP. It will be very difficult for any teams to breach the protocols. It is unfortunate that someone like Lal ji or Whatmore might have to miss out," a BCCI official said, reported TOI.

While Whatmore took a detour from Kerala after their uninspiring performance last season, that led to them getting demoted to Group C, Lal spearheaded a solid campaign for Bengal, leading them to the final, where they eventually lost to Jaydev Unadkar-inspired Saurashtra.