COVID-19 Deals Double Blow To DDCA; Team Doctor Asheem Gupta, Coach Sanjay Dobal Succumb To Coronavirus Pandemic

While frontline worker Dr Asheem Gupta's demise had already left a pall of gloom among the Delhi cricketing circles, the sudden demise of coach Sanjay Dobhal sent the Delhi cricket world in a tizzy.

Dr Asheem Gupta and Sanjay Dhobal (Image - Photo Collage)

Monday morning brought a severe shock wave to the Delhi cricket fraternity as the DDCA was dealt with a double blow -- losing their 'team doctor' and popular coach due to the highly contagious Covid 19 virus.   While frontline worker Dr Asheem Gupta's demise had already left a pall of gloom among the Delhi cricketing circles, the sudden demise of coach Sanjay Dobhal sent the Delhi cricket world in a tizzy. Senior anaesthesiologist and professor Dr Asheem Gupta, who was also at the forefront of Covid battle at LNJP hospital was a cricket enthusiast and the official designated doctor for all IPL and international matches at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium for several years and also consulted on the medical requirements of the DDCA. Just after that Dobhal, former off spinner and a popular coach passed away in the morning. Dobhal, who ran MRV Academy in Dwarka, was 53 and was on ventilator support for over a week. Only Sunday, former Indian cricketers Gautam Gambhir, Aakash Chopra, Amit Bhandari and several Delhi cricketers like Mithun Manhas actively asked for plasma donors to save their friend. By evening AAP MLA Dilip Pandey also informed through his twitter handle that plasma donor has been found but it was too late.

I appeal to all of you to help my friend Sanjay Dobal find a plasma therapy donor. He has severe pneumonia due to Covid. Patients who’ve recovered from covid atleast 28 days ago,are willing to donate blood plz call Sidhant 9654503203, Ekansh 8130335515. Blood group O+ve or O-ve

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) June 28, 2020

Shocked and saddened. Lost an importat member of our cricket fraternity today. Sanjay Dobhal bhai (53) is no more. There isn’t a cricketer in this country who he didn’t help...and did it with a smile. Always. Went away too soon...may your soul R.I.P. #Covid_19

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) June 29, 2020

Dobal is survived by his wife and two children, both of who are stil playing age group cricket in Delhi.  Meanwhile, Dr Gupta's death was met with similar shock in the medical fraternity. His wife, who had also tested positive with Dr Gupta, came back negative in her second test. Dr Gupta was at the forefront of the battle against Covid at the LNJP hospital which saw maximum influx of patients. Several DDCA officials, including former BCCI president CK Khanna, leading cricketers both past and present  expressed their condolences over Dobal's untimely death.

pic.twitter.com/JX0Gk55fBw

— DDCA (@delhi_cricket) June 29, 2020

A big loss to the cricket fraternity. A great human being & someone who was a close friend, Sanjay Dobal (cappy) current coach of Air India cricket team was someone who helped everyone and every budding cricketer with a big heart.

May his soul rest in peace! I’ll miss him ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/oOGNR8dyOo

He was a great man with big heart and always smiling.. RIP brother sanjay ???????? https://t.co/BX6lsfRjS2

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) June 29, 2020

— Tanmay Srivastava (@srivastavtanmay) June 29, 2020