India captain Virat Kohli fears cricket will lose its magic in empty stadiums

India's captain Virat Kohli revealed he turned vegetarian in 2018. AFP

Virat Kohli said he is feeling much better than before having turned vegetarian. AP

Virat Kohli, right, said he became vegetarian because his body was producing too much uric acid. AFP

Virat Kohli said his recovery process has improved dramatically. AFP

Virat Kohli revealed the reason behind his change in diet during an Instagram live session with Kevin Pietersen. AFP

Virat Kohli said he can play three matches a week after changing his dietary habits. Getty Images

Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni during India's 2016 World T20 match against Australia in Mohali. Getty Images

Virat Kohli during the 2016 World T20 match against Australia in Mohali. Getty Images

Virat Kohli after getting dismissed during day two of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch earlier this year. Getty Images

Virat Kohli after New Zealand beat India in the first Test in Wellington. Reuters

India captain Virat Kohli is one of the fittest cricketers in the world. AFP

Virat Kohli's India were whitewashed in the ODI and Test series in New Zealand earlier this year. AFP

India’s captain Virat Kohli. AFP

India's captain Virat Kohli during the third ODI against Australia in Bangalore earlier this year. AFP

India captain Virat Kohli believes cricket will be robbed of its "magical moments" if games are forced into empty stadiums when the sport emerges from its pandemic lockdown.

"It might happen. I honestly don't know how everyone's going to be able to take that, because we are used to playing in front of so many passionate people," said the star batsman.

"It will be played at a very good intensity, but that feel of the crowd connecting with the players, everyone feeling that tension around the stadium, those emotions are difficult to recreate," he told Star Sports television.

The coronavirus pandemic has halted all major sports and cricket is suffering without its cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) which should now be reaching its final stages.

"We will play the sport how it's supposed to be played but those magical moments would be very difficult to come by," Kohli said.

Some European football leagues are already making plans to restart in empty stadiums. But the IPL has not announced its intentions and there are now major doubts on whether the Twenty20 World Cup will start in Australia in October.

The International Cricket Council has said it is "exploring all options" for the tournament.

Australia's wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey, who was to play for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL, said it would be a "hollow feeling" if games are played in front of empty stands.

"Cricket as we're used to is going to be different for a bit. There's the T20 World Cup and the IPL that we're all looking to play, but it's hard to picture anything without the fans," Carey said in an instagram session with Delhi's official website.

"It's going to be a hollow feeling, but I feel the fans will at least have some live cricket to look forward to on TV."