Almost an entire 24 hours after reports emerged of 10 to 12 members of the Chennai Super Kings camp testing positive for coronavirus, the BCCI has released a statement saying a total of 13 players and personnel involved in the IPL have COVID-19.
Of this, two are players and 11 are members of teams’ support staff.
"Total of 1,988 RT-PCR COVID tests were carried out between 20-28 August across all participant groups in the UAE. These groups include players, support staff, team management, BCCI staff, IPL operational team, hotel and ground transport staff. (Of them) 13 personnel have tested positive of which two are players,” the board’s official statement said.
“All the affected personnel 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,” it added.
With the Board failing to mention which team the positive reports have come from, it seems likely that only the Chennai Super Kings’ camp has been affected so far. Earlier today, a second CSK player’s test had also come back positive in the fourth round of tests conducted across the franchise on Friday.
According to IPL’s SOP, every person who is part of the tournament is tested at the airport when they land in the UAE and then tested thrice more during the next seven days that they spend in quarantine in their hotel rooms.
According to BCCI’s statement, all 13 individuals who tested positive, and their close contacts, have been isolated. However, this does not mean they have been ruled out of the tournament as, according to IPL’s SOP, they will be quarantined for 14 days following which if they return negative in two COVID tests conducted 24 hours apart, the players can rejoin their teams.
MS Dhoni’s team has suffered some major setbacks in the last day with his deputy Suresh Raina pulling out of the IPL today, citing personal reasons. He has returned home to India and will not be part of the tournament this year. This news, has been confirmed by the CSK franchise making an official statement through their social media handles.
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