BENGALURU: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bowler Shivam Mavi has said that the postponement of 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) came as a blessing in disguise for him.
Mavi in last December felt a strain in his back during a Ranji Trophy game. After the match, the right-handed bowler went for a scan that revealed an L1 disc injury.
The IPL 2020 was slated to be played from March 29, but it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 21-year-old cricketer, who feels fit and ready for the IPL, said if the tournament had happened in April-May he would have missed his second straight season.
"The IPL being postponed has been a blessing in disguise for me. Had the IPL happened in April-May, I would have missed my second straight season. I was scheduled to recover only mid-April," ESPNcricinfo quoted Mavi as saying.
"Then to cope that kind of bowling workload straightaway may have been tough, so the last four months have given me time to recover, rehabilitate and become stronger," he added.
The IPL 2020 will be held in the UAE from September 19-November 10 and the tournament will run for 53 days. This edition will be played across three venues (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah).
Both the afternoon and evening matches will be played half-an-hour earlier than usual. For the first time, the final will be held on a weekday (Tuesday).