New Delhi: The IPL franchise, Chennai Super Kings, faced another setback on Saturday with one more player testing positive for coronavirus.
Two players are now infected with the virus and in extended quarantine, according to media reports, raising questions about whether the three-time champions will participate in the gala opener on September 19.
The long-delayed Indian Premier League (IPL) has moved to the United Arab Emirates due to the growth of the pandemic in India and the teams remain in bubbles of strict isolation.
The player in question is a first-rate right-handed hitter, who has been a part of India A’s teams in the recent past and is a prolific player in the Ranji Trophy. On Friday, a T20 specialist pacemaker tested positive along with 12 contingent members in Dubai.
The Cricket Control Board in India said two players are among the 13 who have tested positive for Covid-19 after 1,988 RT-PCR tests performed on all participating IPL groups.
“Upon landing in the United Arab Emirates, all IPL participants have followed a mandatory testing and quarantine program. 1,988 COVID RT-PCR tests were conducted between August 20 and 28. 13 staff members tested positive, of which two are players, “said BCCI.
“All those affected, as well as their close contacts, are asymptomatic and have been isolated from other team members. They are being monitored by the IPL medical team,” BCCI said.
The franchise has yet to release a formal statement, but a league source told PTI that the number of positive cases could be between 10 and 12.
The development has forced the party led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni to extend the quarantine period until September 1.
While there is panic on the BCCI grassroots after this, it is understood that, at the moment, there is no imminent threat to the league, which moved from India this year due to the pandemic.
The scheduling convention followed at the IPL are two finalists from the previous year playing the opening game that would have been the Chennai Super Kings and the defending champions Mumbai Indians this season.
However, it is still unclear if CSK would be ready for the league opener on September 19.
In another blow to CSK’s IPL chances, their star hitter Suresh Raina withdrew from the Indian Premier League citing “personal reasons.”
The 33-year-old had retired from international cricket earlier this month.
“Suresh Raina has returned to India for personal reasons and will not be available for the remainder of the IPL season. Chennai Super Kings offers full support to Suresh and his family during this time,” CSK CEO Kasi tweeted statement. Viswanathan.
“The absence of Suresh will be a great blow for CSK and, moreover, he is one of the biggest attractions of the IPL. But in these times, if a player does not feel 100% and has other urgent priorities, any team respects him. “. and CSK is no different, “a senior IPL official familiar with developments at the CSK camp told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
While it could not be officially confirmed, it was speculated that a family tragedy coupled with an increase in COVID-19 cases in the team could have upset the former Indian southpaw who retired on August 15 alongside his patron Mahendra Singh Dhoni. .
While it is understood that the tournament is not under threat as of now, a franchise that is becoming a “COVID-19 hotspot” is slowly becoming a problem for other teams as well as the BCCI.
“If there are 13 cases of a single franchise, then it is a sure problem for everyone. The most important aspect will be whether foreign cricketers will now start to panic as they are more sensitive to these issues,” said an official.
“We need to monitor the mental health of the players,” he added.
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