The Indian Premier League teams arrived in the United Arab Emirates earlier this month. With the tournament scheduled to run from September 19, 2020 to November 10, 2020, all players underwent Covid-19 PCR tests every alternate day and teams stayed at different hotels in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. However, in an unfortunate turn of events, it has now been reported that multiple members of Chennai Super Kings have tested positive for the coronavirus infection, although the exact numbers are to be confirmed. The affected allegedly include one Indian player as well as members of the support and coaching staff. The team landed in Dubai on August 21.
They completed the compulsory six-day quarantine period and were expected to begin training from August 28 but the quarantine period has now been extended. Some of the teams have already started training while the others are set to begin soon, with the exception of Chennai Super Kings. The team, before their arrival in the UAE, had held a five-day training camp in Chennai. MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Deepak Chahar, Ambati Rayudu, Piyush Chawla and Shardul Thakur were all part of it, as was bowling coach L Balaji. One of those found positive is the wife of a senior Super Kings official, though the official himself has tested negative.
The infected persons have been moved to a different hotel from the team hotel, and are being monitored by medical personnel behind closed doors. Now, the Super Kings have been forced to postpone the start of their training in Dubai to September 1. According to the IPL’s Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs), all those who tested positive will now need to undergo at least two weeks of further quarantine and clear two more tests before they can rejoin the group. The positive test results are from the final round of testing in the UAE, which is part of IPL’s Covid-19 protocols comprising three tests that are mandatory for every person who is part of the tournament.
