IPL 2020 Schedule: Question Mark Over Opening Match Between Mumbai Indians And Chennai Super Kings | Earth Indian

BCCI‘s worst nightmare seems to have come true with the coronavirus making its entry into the Chennai Super Kings camp in the UAE. Around 13 CSK members including two cricketers are reported to have been tested positive for the deadly virus putting a big question mark over the upcoming IPL season scheduled to start from September 19.

What the positive cases mean is that the IPL opener, which is traditionally played between the previous season’s finalists, is in doubt with CSK being the runners-up in 2019.

The COVID-19 positive tests mean CSK will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine period instead of six days which will greatly affect their preparations.

According to a report in The Times of India, to ensure enough star power on the field, Rohit Sharma-led defending champions Mumbai Indians could open the season against Royal Challengers Bangalore of Virat Kohli.

“It could possibly be Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) because in the first match, you’ll need star players on the field. If MS Dhoni is missing, then it has to be Virat Kohli,” TOI quoted unnamed sources as saying.

Meanwhile, the English daily has also reported that the franchises are unhappy with the way BCCI has been dealing with the situation with ‘no communication’ from the Indian cricket board.

Reportedly, lights went off at a practice venue while a team was training and another team’s staff is yet to “receive the tracking devices.”

Franchises have also written to BCCI to confirm the fixtures even as they figure out how to commute between Abu Dhabi and Dubai which have different regulations for the coronavirus pandemic.

The BCCI through a statement confirmed 13 cases of coronavirus infections in CSK camp without divulging their names. “They should have at least told us about the members, who all got infected. For our safety,” an unnamed team source was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.

By Shivam Urkude || Earth Indian