Coronavirus and a wedding - the story behind UAE batsman Chirag Suri's special day

India star Yuvraj Singh made it to the function in Jodhpur but many other guests were forced to cancel

UAE batsman Chirag Suri's wedding in India went ahead as planned this month, but the celebrations have been affected by the travel restrictions related to coronavirus. Pics courtesy Chirag Suri

UAE batsman Chirag Suri got married in Jodhpur on March 13.

Chirag Suri got married to Anmol earlier this month in India.

Chirag Suri's wedding in India went ahead before restrictions were put in place.

Chirag Suri got married at Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur.

Many guests were forced to cancel their travel plans for UAE batsman Chirag Suri's wedding in India.

UAE batsman Chirag Suri's wedding in India went ahead as planned this month.

Chirag Suri married Anmol in India earlier this month.

UAE batsman Chirag Suri's wedding was a grand affair.

Chirag Suri travelled to India for his wedding before travel restrictions were put in place.

India star Yuvraj Singh attended the wedding of UAE batsman Chirag Suri.

Given how rapidly the world has changed in recent times, it is difficult to recollect precisely what life was like 11 days ago.

Chirag Suri remembers vividly what he was doing at that point. As well he should, seeing it was his wedding day.

The UAE cricketer was given special dispensation to miss national team training ahead of their scheduled tour to the United States, and flew to India instead.

March 13 was all set to be a fairy-tale ceremony, at Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, the venue that hosted the marriage of Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas last year.

This one was touched with stardust, too. Yuvraj Singh, the India great, was due to be among the congregation.

And he made it there, too, even though many other guests had to cancel.

“Luckily everything came together before the coronavirus [restrictions became more widespread], because we had guests flying in from everywhere,” Suri said. “If it had been now, it wouldn’t have happened.”

Suri flew on March 7. Schools in the UAE would officially close from the following day, but the measures against the spread of coronavirus in terms of travel limitations were still relatively minimal at that stage.

“As I left, the scare was just starting,” Suri said.

“I remember going to training and taking my hand sanitiser. That is what the level was at at that point.

“When I left, I didn’t shake anyone’s hand, then accidentally went for a high five and immediately hand sanitised.

“I got a message a week later saying we were stopping training because of coronavirus.

“I thought I would miss a week’s training, then come back, but I didn’t miss anything. I was supposed to go for my honeymoon, but everything is cancelled now.”

Suri and his bride Anmol were due to fly to Milan, travel through Italy to Switzerland, then fly out of Zurich.

Clearly, that became impossible, and his Dubai reception – which was planned for the conclusion of the now-postponed UAE tour to Florida ­– next month seems certain to go the same way.

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Stars who have tested positive

Former Manchester United player Marouane Fellaini tested positive in China where he plays for Shandong Luneng. He has now been discharged. Reuters

Juventus' Paulo Dybala said both he and his girlfriend Oriana tested positive though both were in "perfect conditions". AP Photo

Milan's sports director and club legend Paolo Maldini and his son Daniel, who plays for the same club, tested positive for Covid-19. A statement from the club said both are well. EPA

Wu Lei of Espanyol. "Wu Lei has mild symptoms and is currently undergoing treatment," the CFA said in a statement, adding that they had been given the news by La Liga strugglers Espanyol. The 28-year-old striker, China's best-known player, is in self-isolation at home in Barcelona, Xinhua news agency said. Getty Images

Kevin Durant is reportedly among four Brooklyn Nets players who have tested positive for the coronavirus and are in isolation. The injured Durant, who has yet to play for the Nets since signing for the team last year, confirmed to The Athletic website he had tested positive for the virus. "Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We're going to get through this," Durant was quoted as saying. AFP

Juventus confirmed on Tuesday night that French midfielder Blaise Matuidi had become the second player from the club to test positive for the coronavirus. Italian defender Daniele Rugani was the first player to play in Serie A to test positive last week. EPA

Valencia's Eliaquim Mangala, left, was one of five players and staff at the club to test positive. "I'm feeling good and I have no symptoms associated with the virus. However, I am confined in house and separated from my family," he said on Twitter. AP Photo

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta tested positive on March 14 but said he was "feeling better already" the following day. Staff who had been in contact with him were self-isolating. AFP

Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert, who apologized for his careless actions before he was diagnosed with novel coronavirus, has pledged to donate more than half a million dollars to health services and arena workers affected by the pandemic. AFP

Valencia's Ezequiel Garay was the first La Liga player to test positive on March 15. "I tested positive for coronavirus, I feel very well and now all that's left is to do what the health authorities say, which is to isolate myself," he said on Instagram. All football is suspended in Spain. EPA

Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi was the first Premier League player to test positive. He said on Twitter on March 13: "As you may be aware I had the virus for the last couple of days which I have recovered from. I am following the health guidelines and self-isolating myself from everybody for the week. I hope to see everybody soon and hopefully will be back on the pitch very soon. Reuters

Juventus' Italian defender Daniele Rugani was confirmed to have the virus on March 12. "You've read the news, so I want to reassure everyone who's worried about me, I'm fine," Rugani said on Twitter. The entire Juventus squad is to spend two weeks in quarantine. AFP

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell was the second NBA player to contract the virus. The NBA season has been suspended. AP Photo

Manolo Gabbiadini of Sampdoria is one of five players to have tested positive at the club. "I still want to tell you that I'm fine, so don't worry. Follow all the rules, stay at home and everything will work out," said Gabbiadini on Twitter. PA Wire.

Sampdoria's Omar Colley, right, was confirmed to have coronavirus. Lapresse via AP

Albin Ekdal of Sampdoria tested positive. Italy is one of the worst affected countries. Getty Images

Fabio Depaoli, left of Sampdoria, said on Instagram that he was "fine" after testing positive. Getty Images

Morten Thorsby, left, was one of five Sampdoria footballers to test positive. Lapresse via AP

Fiorentina foward Patrick Cutrone, on loan from Premier League Wolves, is one of three players to test positive at the club. EPA

German Pezzella, right, of Fiorentina, said on Instagram that his symptoms had disappeared after he tested positive. EPA

Fiorentina's Dusan Vlahovic was another confirmed case. Fiorentina said in a statement on March 13: "The club is in the process of undertaking all the necessary isolation procedures in accordance with the regulations, starting with identifying all the people who have had contact with the player." EPA

Hannover's Timo Hubers, right, was the first player in Germany to be diagnosed. Reuters

Paderborn's Luca Kilian tested positive. The Bundesliga has been suspended until April 2. EPA

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The 25-year-old is just grateful that the main event was able to go ahead.

And it was a good job Anmol, who is operations manager for a Dubai-based company, had said “yes”.

Some years ago, her new husband had had her name vividly inscribed on his forearm in the form of a tattoo.

“As a cricketer, it is great to have somebody there when you come home, who you can share everything with,” Suri said.

“And she is a really big cricket fan. Massive. She doesn’t miss any India games, or any of my matches either.

“She goes into detail. She’ll say: ‘Chirag, why are you playing the reverse sweep? You just get out playing this shot.’

“Now her father is telling me not to play the reverse sweep, too.

"I got out doing it a couple of times, then I went to their house and they were asking what I was thinking.

“They said: ‘Now just stop playing this shot’. I’m going to have to because the wife said not to. She knows cricket too well.”

Yuvraj has basically been mentoring me for the past six months

Whether Anmol’s advice supersedes that of Yuvraj is open to question, though.

Suri says the former India star has been like a mentor to him since the two were teammates together in the Global T20 Canada last summer – hence his appearance at the ceremony.

“We had 20 or 30 cancellations at the wedding, but luckily all the close ones made it, and Yuvraj was there,” Suri said.

“He was the captain of my team in Toronto, and when he came to UAE for [Abu Dhabi] T10 we spoke again.

“We are close. He is a very lovely guy. These guys have no personal time.

"If somebody comes up to speak to him at a personal time, and he says, ‘Look, boss, I’m eating right now,’ people perceive that as arrogant.

“But he is a very kind guy. I have learnt so much from him. He has basically been mentoring me for the past six months.”

In those six months, Suri has emerged as a key player in a UAE side that is still recovering from the turmoil of six senior players being banned for corruption last year.

“I was in a very good space with my batting from September onwards, but a lot of things were happening around the team,” Suri said.

“Before the qualifier, I have not hit the ball as well as I was doing at that point.

"Even in Muscat in the last tournament [Asia Cup qualifying, when Suri was the UAE’s leading run-scorer], I wasn’t hitting the ball as well.

“But so many things happened around us. There was so much negativity. I was getting starts, but I didn’t think I justified how I was feeling at that moment.

“I was thinking about too many other things rather than just watching the ball.”

Before the sport was forced into lockdown, Suri had been in fine form.

He was the national team’s leading batsman as they progressed to the the next phase of Asia Cup qualifying.

Only three players have scored more runs than him in T20 international cricket so far this year.

“It is about a change in mentality,” Suri said, crediting the influence of new UAE coach Robin Singh for his improved form.

“Robin told me I was one of the main batters, and he gave that ownership to me.

“I hadn’t felt that before. At nets, you can see who has got what ability. Robin said to me, ‘If you score runs, we will win matches’.

“I have gone into every match with that mindset since.”