An Indian player was among at least ten members of the Chennai Super Kings contingent who tested positive for Covid-19 in Dubai.
As a result, the Super Kings were forced to postpone the start of their training in Dubai to 1 September. According to the IPL ‘s Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs), all those who tested positive will now have to undergo at least two weeks of further quarantine and clear two more tests before they can join the group.
As per the protocol, every person would be tested at the airport upon landing in the UAE, followed by three tests on days 1, 3 and 6. The protocol also makes it mandatory for everyone to go through a six-day quarantine after landing, where they are not even allowed to mix with team members or colleagues. Only once the members of the squad have cleared all compulsory tests can the teams start their training.
As per the original schedule, the Super Kings would begin their training on Friday. But their preparations are now in disarray. So far neither the franchise nor the IPL have made any public comment.
The IPL is due to start on September 19, but the schedule has yet to be finalised. Development is bound to alert the IPL simply because the Super Kings, who finished second in 2019, are expected to play champion Mumbai Indians in the tournament opener.
The Super Kings landed in Dubai on August 21, after part of their Indian contingent had undergone a six-day conditioning camp in Chennai. The group included most of the senior Indian players in the squad, including Captain MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Deepak Chahar and Piyush Chawla.
What Happens Now?
According to the SOPs of the tournament, those who test positive must be “immediately isolated from the rest of the squad.” SOPs also say that “contact tracking” should “be started immediately.”
If the person is “asymptomatic or has mild symptoms,” he / she will need to be isolated outside the biosecure bubble for two weeks from the “first day of symptoms or a positive PCR test report that is later.”
The individual is also unable to train during the 14-day insulation cycle and is advised to take complete rest. If the symptoms escalate, he / she will be referred to the approved hospital of the tournament.
“After 2 weeks of isolation, the person must return 2 negative PCR test reports conducted 24 hours apart before being allowed to re-enter the BioSecure Community. After rehabilitation, players must undergo cardiac screening before resuming any team operation,” said the IPL while distributing SOPs to the franchise recently.
Had “Reservations” About Chennai Camp – Super Kings CEO:
Incidently, Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan revealed that he was sceptical about organising a camp in Chennai and that it was Dhoni who persuaded him why the camp was needed.
“When we learned that the [IPL] tournament was going to take place, I had reservations about camping here because of the bio-bubble we ‘re going to have to watch,” Viswanathan said in a video of the Super Kings released on YouTube on August 26. “In fact, I even sent him a message as to whether it would be worthwhile to have a camp five days before we left for Dubai. But Captain [Dhoni] was crystal clear in his mind.”
Dhoni claimed that Chennai ‘s experience will also help players grasp the fundamentals of what it meant to be a bubble. “He said, ‘No, sir, we haven’t played for almost 4-5 months. We all need to get together. We ‘re expected to be in Chennai, in a bio-bubble, so we get used to that when we land in Dubai. And it’s also going to help the boys get in shape.’ This course, while we had some reservations, really helped. And I’m quite glad that we were able to host the event.
