BCCI has received the Indian government’s approval to hold the IPL in UAE. (Source: BCCI)Several members of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) contingent, including an India medium pacer, have tested positive for Covid-19 in Dubai, it is learnt. Sources said, positive results came after CSK players, squad members and support staff underwent coronavirus tests on Thursday.
The Indian Express understands that a few net bowlers, some members of the digital/social media team and an India seamer, who plays in the shorter formats, have tested positive. CSK were scheduled to start training from Friday, but it is learnt that following the latest development, the team will have an extended quarantine. Those who have tested positive will self-isolate for 14 days.
READ | In UAE for IPL, week’s quarantine the first challenge for players
CSK went to Dubai for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 19 to November 10, last week and as per the tournament’s Covid protocol, the team members underwent a Test at the airport followed by another two rounds of tests during the mandatory six-day quarantine period. The team management so far hasn’t revealed the names of those who have tested positive.
Piyush Chawla, Suresh Raina, Monu Singh, MS Dhoni, Karn Sharma and Deepak Chahar were among the first to reach Chennai for pre-training. (Twitter/Suresh Raina)
The players will be allowed to enter the bio-secure bubble only after returning negative in tests to be conducted after the extended isolation.
IPL bubble: Bluetooth bands to enforce distancing, others’ rooms out of bounds
IPL-bound players were following strict protocols and were not allowed to even enter each others’ room to ensure social distancing during quarantine after their flight from India. The protocol that raised the most hackles among players is the one that prohibits going to another player’s room despite staying in the bio-bubble – they are not allowed to go not just during the quarantine period but at any time before or during the tournament. They can meet each other at the doors of their rooms or in the designated meeting areas, but have to adhere to the two-metre social distancing requirement.
The players have to wear a special Bluetooth wrist band that will sound an alarm if they break the two-metre distance rule. The players can take off the band only when they go to sleep. It’s also learnt that even the family members of the players staying with them have to wear the band though there is no clarity yet on the functioning of this device.