Odishatv Bureau

New Delhi: Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has sent out a special message in Hindi wherein he is urging Indian citizens to adhere to the guidelines issued by the government to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has now turned into a pandemic.

Pietersen's post on Twitter read: "Namaste India, hum sab coronavirus ko harane mein ek saath hai, hum sab apne apne sarkar ki baat ka nirdes kare aur ghar me kuch dino ke liye rahe , yeh samay hai hosiyaar rahene ka. App sabhi ko der sara pyaar" which roughly translates "Greetings India. Everyone is united in the fight against coronavirus and everyone should listen to their government's instructions and stay at home for a few days. This is the time to be smart. Loads of love to everyone."

https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1240903502345486336

Pietersen also revealed that he was helped by Indian cricketer Srivats Goswami to put out the message in Hindi.

The 39-year-old played with Goswami during his time with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

[caption id="attachment_441468" align="aligncenter" width="650"]Kevin Pietersen On Coronavirus Image Source: Twitter[/caption]

Read: Kohli, Rohit & Sachin Spread Awareness On Coronavirus

Around 10,000 people have so far lost their lives across the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. In India, four people have died due to COVID-19.

Dale Steyn Wants To Be In Quarantine With De Kock!

Veteran South Africa pacer Dale Steyn has said that, given an option, he "would love to be in quarantine" with Quinton de Kock. The entire world is currently battling with the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far claimed close to 9,000 lives.

"I would love to be in quarantine with someone like Quinny de Kock," Steyn told ESPNcricinfo.

[caption id="attachment_441470" align="aligncenter" width="650"]Dale Steyn On COVID19 Quarantine Image Source: Twitter[/caption]

Explaining his choice, Steyn said de Kock is a 'proper cook' and staying with the current Proteas skipper would allow him to watch all the fishing videos the wicketkeeper-batsman watches.

"He is one of my favourite people in the world. If you walk into his (hotel) room, he's either making flies for fishing or he is watching a fishing video or he is watching a cooking video. And when you are at his house, he's doing the same stuff.

"I hate cooking, so it would be great if he was because then I could watch all the fishing videos that he's watching, I could help him do all the tying, and he could cook all the food. He's a proper cook," he added.

When asked which matches from the past he would watch while on the isolation period, Steyn said: "I would probably say that they should put every World Cup up until '99 on. So 1992, '96, '99 -- I love those World Cups.

"And even the one in South Africa (2003) because that's when I really started to get into guys like Brett Lee, because I knew the possibility of me playing against them or meeting them was so much closer than what it was in, say, '92, when I first got introduced to the game," he added.

The 36-year-old, who is chilling at home following his return from Pakistan where he was playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), said it's a pity that sporting events are being cancelled en masse due to the crisis as "if you take sport away, then I don't know really what we have."

"It is actually such a pity that everything is being blocked off, because in a country like South Africa, where we have all of our problems from the past -- culture, religion, ethnic backgrounds -- the one thing that brings everybody together is sport," said Steyn

"But now at the moment, you don't have that. In South Africa, we kind of like looking for things that unite people in big, big groups. When you don't have sport, it's like, oh, what do we fall back onto?

"And I think Nelson Mandela was the first person to really say that: sport unites people in a way that nothing else does. And if you take sport away, then I don't know really what we have. We're going to have to work it all out," he added.

Despite the panic all around, the right-arm pacer said he has avoided stockpiling essentials like many others as it's unfair to do so in a crisis.

"It just seems like it is the only topic of conversation. Any WhatsApp groups that I'm part of, it's really tough to escape. Normally if I am on holiday I'll be planning a fishing trip or a surfing trip. At the moment I am just chilling at home," Steyn said.

"We were under that kind of hotel arrest -- advised not to go out and wander the streets, which is totally fine; I don't want to break protocol and (have) something happen and be blamed for cricket never being played in Pakistan again because I did something stupid."

[caption id="attachment_441471" align="aligncenter" width="650"]Dale Steyn On Coronavirus Image Source: Twitter[/caption]

Tennis Star Leander Paes On Fighting COVID-19

With the Covid-19 seeing people across the country panicking, tennis star Leander Paes has asked the people to stay calm and follow the guidelines of the World Health Organisation and the health ministry.

Taking to Twitter, Paes wrote: "We currently face a big battle against an opponent that is spreading its reach across the globe. At times like this, it's most important that we each play our part in the community and ensure we contribute to a healthy society.

[caption id="attachment_441473" align="aligncenter" width="650"]Leander Paes On Coronavirus Outbreak Image Source: Twitter[/caption]

"It is important that we follow guidelines set by @WHO and the @MoHFW_INDIA, not panic, and not fall into the trap of, or spread fake news. It is also important that we help educate the people around us, like our house help, who might not have access to information as easily.

"Currently, one of the best things to do is to wash your hands thoroughly and regularly, so that we prevent the spread of COVID-19. And don't forget to turn off the taps while washing so you save water as well."

https://twitter.com/Leander/status/1240311381628530689

(With Agency Inputs)

Also Read: Coronavirus Effect: Virat Kohli And Anushka Sharma Go In Self-Isolation, Appeal People To Stay At Home

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