Confessions of a Sports-aholic: How a sports lover is trying to survive the Corona lockdown

Writing a confession is a bit like taking up that maths paper in college that you know you will absolutely dread — you know it needs to be done, you know you'll be the better of it when it's over but sitting here, on my bed on a Thursday evening at a time when I'm normally in office or at the stadium covering live sports, it certainly feels easier to just pause and wonder why!

Truth be told, these are depressing times. It feels like a Black Mirror episode, one which is never ending. For one, work from home does not suit me, especially when there are no sports going on at all! I mean, come on, not even IPL?

There's no chance of going out to watch some match that will have your adrenaline going, no chance to blow off a bit of steam by wishing death on your mortal enemies!

You never really realise how much your life revolves around something (for me, sports) until it's taken away from you — well at least I didn't.

Imagine being an avid fan of Indian sports over the past one week. Event after event is getting suspended as live sport from all around the world is halted all of a sudden.

It's got so bad that all us sports fanatics are desperately waiting to see if the Indian Grand Prix gets the go-ahead this weekend — expect us all to start tearing the sleeves off our t-shirts and roaring "Go Dutee, Go!"

Also read: Coronavirus: A world without the great distraction of Sports, but this too shall pass

I know, I know, I am being insensitive. It's an epidemic and I have no right to put my personal entertainment above public health. But there are only so many videos on YouTube on Indian sports that you can watch.

Had the virus not spread so rapidly, what would have happened? The Indian cricket team would be taking on South Africa now, I-league would have been going on, so many Olympic qualification tournaments would have happened! I tell you, my March-April schedule was packed! I had so much to do. And now, it's a barren desert.

So what am I doing to try and survive? Watching the full videos of events in London and Rio Olympics in which India is expected to do well in Tokyo (no, I believe Tokyo Olympics will happen). I am reading up more about former Olympians of India in the last 2 decades who were pioneers in Indian sports like Rehan Poncha, Nisha Millet, Sandeep Sejwal, Limba Ram, Tarundeep Rai, Pargat Singh, Dilip Tirkey, Viren Resquinha, Bahadur Prasad, Shiny Wilson, and so many others.

I am also trying to learn the technical apsects of each sport so that I am full prepared for the Olympics.

Thursday, today, sees the end of the first week of the Covid-19 crisis as all those nice little hashtags are terming it. And already, I have exhausted myself without live sports. How am I going to survive the coming weeks?