Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Dinesh Karthik has no qualms playing top-flight cricket in empty stadiums as a majority of the players “have grown up” turning out in domestic matches with few watching them.

Opinions are divided on whether sporting events, including the IPL, should be held behind closed doors once the Covid-19 pandemic subsides.

“For a lot of us, we have grown up playing domestic cricket without crowds. So it should not be too new to us,” Karthik said during an Instagram chat with former England medium-pacer turned commentator Isa Guha on Thursday.

The 34-year-old out-of-favour India stumper added: “It would feel weird for sure. We have never played IPL without fans but we have grown up playing domestic cricket where nobody is watching us.”

The pandemic has led to either cancellation or postponement of all sporting events across the world, with the Olympics the biggest of them all.