'It would inspire a lot of other sports': ATK co-owner Sourav Ganguly on good ISL season

Indian Super League (ISL) will kick-off despite COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc in the country. However, ATK co-owner and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly is excited about the tournament and believes a smooth tournament.

Sourav Ganguly successfully oversaw IPL that was held in a bio-bubble in the UAE.

"...it’s a huge occasion being the first live sport in India (post-lockdown). It’s the beginning of something very, very good because life needs to get back to normal. We need to get back to our lives and keep that fear away," Ganguly said in an Instagram live session for the ISL’s official handle.

"More than people getting affected, it’s also the fear which is affecting people. 'I don’t want to go there, I don’t want to mix among people' This is unsafe, that is unsafe."

"I think a very good ISL season will clear all the cobwebs and doubts in everybody’s mind," the former captain added.

According to Ganguly, cricket's domestic season from January 1, said the ISL's success would inspire a lot of other sports who have been "tentative" to start.

"It would inspire a lot of other sports as well and I say that including cricket, because our domestic season will start soon. We’re looking to start in the New Year."

"We have a lot more teams actually -- 38 teams in the domestic season but it’ll inspire us to feel that security, that you know if ISL goes without any hiccups, and I’m sure it is going to happen because the bubbles have been created," he said.

"A lot of sports are still tentative. A lot of them don’t know how it is going to affect (them) because the numbers in some of the states are still very high," Ganguly said.

(Inputs from PTI)