BCCI, teams confident of going ahead with IPL despite positive cases hitting KKR and CSK
KKR spinner Varun Chakravarthy during an IPL match. PIC/BCCI; IPL; (right) Sandeep Warrier. Pic/KKR.in
As soon as news emerged about two players (Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier) of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) testing positive for COVID-19, all hell broke loose on social media with calls of ‘cancel IPL’ trending on Monday.
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A little later, three non-playing staff members of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were suspected of Coronavirus along with six groundsmen of the Arun Jaitley Stadium (Ferozeshah Kotla) in New Delhi.
However, only CSK bowling coach L Balaji and the bus cleaner returned positive for COVID-19 after the second test was conducted to rule out a false report.
The BCCI promptly decided to reschedule Monday’s match between KKR and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) which was to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
There are concerns though, as Balaji was seen interacting with Mumbai Indians players after their last match at the Kotla on May 1.
The focus, however, was on whether the BCCI would go ahead with the cash-rich T20 tournament now that the raging Coronavirus breached their watertight IPL bubble.
The Board seemed to be in no mood to call off the tournament or even suspend it till everyone returns negative.
Speaking to mid-day, a BCCI official said: “As of now, only one match has been rescheduled. We are going ahead as per schedule for the time being. If there are no further positive cases then there is no threat to the tournament. We can safely go ahead as planned.”
Concerns before IPL
Before the IPL-14 kicked off, Delhi Capitals’ Axar Patel had tested positive for COVID-19 and was isolated accordingly. Several Wankhede Stadium groundsmen also tested positive. The concerns eased out as soon as the action began on April 9.
Monday’s occurrences have again put a question mark on the IPL caravan, which is currently in Delhi and Ahmedabad and will move to Kolkata and Bangalore for matches from May 9.
‘Travel is not an issue’
Wouldn’t it be wise to complete the tournament at the current venues to avoid further travel? “The KKR players did not contract the virus while travelling. So, we are ensuring there is no breach of the bubble there. We have made special arrangements on that front. We are evaluating how this [two KKR players testing positive] happened. We believe they went out for some scans and that’s where they may have contracted it. So, we are seeing what we can do to avoid such a scenario again,” an official said.
BCCI’s acting CEO Hemang Amin in an email to all franchises, attached the media release on KKR players testing positive and stated: “In the light of recent developments that have happened over last 24 hours, please find below a media release that is being issued. We will keep monitoring the situation and provide further details and updates.”
Teams taking onus
Officials of two teams who were spoken to by mid-day said there is no panic at the moment. In fact, teams have taken the onus on them to ensure the bubble remains intact right till the end. Punjab Kings, who are sixth on the points table, ensured the same buses which they used for their matches in Mumbai are in Ahmedabad as well.
“We have the same set of drivers here with us who were with us in Mumbai. They drove without any break to Ahmedabad. We will take them to Bangalore as well but we will have new buses there. So, that’s the level of planning we have done to ensure our bubble remains intact,” an official told mid-day.
A BCCI official said that no player has raised any concerns regarding the conduct of the IPL. “We haven’t got any such requests from the players. As of now, everyone’s aim is to complete the tournament in a safe manner,” the official said.
However, it is understood that some foreign players were a bit edgy after the KKR players tested positive.
For BCCI, the larger picture is to ensure the ICC T20 World Cup is held in India later this year. “IPL is the best way to convince the world that a multi-team event like the T20 World Cup is very much possible to hold even in a pandemic.
“BCCI will do everything possible to ensure the IPL is completed as per schedule,” said an Apex Council member of the BCCI.
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