Sport in empty stadiums will be disappointing, feels Sachin Tendulkar

He revelled in the full-throated chants that accompanied his stay at the crease and Sachin Tendulkar says that's one reason why the very idea of sport inside an empty stadium disappoints him.

Made for television sport is being given a serious thought owing to the COVID-19 pandemic which has made social distancing a necessity. But sport without fans is not an option for one of India's greatest sportspersons.

"Empty stadiums would be so disappointing for players who are competing. There are lot of times when players respond to spectators. If I play a good shot and the manner in which crowd responds also brings in that energy," Tendulkar told PTI during an exclusive interview talking about the implications of the contagion that has infected millions.

"Similarly, if a bowler bowls a fiery spell and the crowd is responding to it, it builds a kind of pressure on the batsman and he needs to respond to it.

"Spectators are integral to any sport. Their encouragement, vociferous chants for or against you is a necessity in sport," said the batting icon, who turns 47 on Friday.

Considered an insightful student of the game, what is his assessment of how the cricket world will cope once normalcy returns?
But does he think that winning and losing will have the same kind of impact in an athlete's mind once the mayhem of this pandemic is over?