‘Hard to stay in a bubble for a long time’

South African captain Quinton de Kock has questioned the sustainability of 'bubble' life in the age of Covid-19 as he contemplated an upcoming tour of Pakistan - another series in which players are likely to be confined to cricket grounds and their hotel rooms.

Speaking in a virtual press conference to review South Africa's Test series win against Sri Lanka, De Kock elaborated on comments he made during the post-match presentation after the second Test on Tuesday when he said he had mixed feelings about the tour of Pakistan because of the frustrations of being in a bio-secure environment.

"There are a lot of nerves when it comes to the bubble, lots of small things get into your mind, things that you're not used to," he told journalists later.  "Bubbles just make tours longer because of the quarantine period. You stay in your room for a certain amount of time. You get out when we are declared safe. It's very unsettling. I don't know how long it can last."

De Kock's concerns echoed those of Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne, who said his players would face a test of mental strength as they went from one 'bubble' to another, flying home from South Africa but going into quarantine immediately ahead of a series against England which starts on January 14.  "It's really hard to stay in a bubble for a long time," he said. The South African players will have a week at home before leaving for Pakistan.