Dhoni tests negative for COVID-19, joins camp in Chennai
NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni has tested negative for COVID-19.
Dhoni and some of his CSK colleagues arrived here on Friday for a for a one-week training camp ahead of the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League. The tournament is set to start on sept. 19 in the uae. Dhoni had undergone the mandatory test before being eligible to join the camp alongwith teammate Monu Kumar Singh at a Ranchi hospital, sources told IANS.
In accordance with the board of control for cricket in in dia’s (bcci) standard operating procedure before arriving at the franchise’s city of choice for a training camp, they will undergo another round of testing ater the arriving in Chennai.
IPL 2020 was originally scheduled to start on March 29 with cs ks che du led to face mumbai indians at the Wankhede in the season opener. However, the tournament had initially been postponed to April 15 and then indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown in the country.
Earlier, it had been revealed that Rajasthan Royals’ fielding coach Dishant Yagnik has tested positive for coronavirus.
The test was undertaken keeping in mind that the team members need to assemble in Mumbai next week for their flight to the UAE.
FINCH, WARNER AMONG 12 OZ PLAYERS WHO WILL MISS START OF IPL: Meanwhile, captain Aaron Finch, David Warner and Steve Smith are among 12 Australian players who will miss the start of the IPL in view of the league’s COVID-19 protocols.
The trio are part of the 21-man squad that will tour England for three T20IS and as many ODIS before the start of the tournament. The T20IS will be played on Sept.4, 6 and 8 followed by the three ODIS on Sept.11, 13 and 16.
However, the team’s senior assistant coach Andrew Mcdonald has been cleared by Cricket Australia to give the tour a miss so as to join the Rajasthan Royals, of whom he is the head coach.
Apart from Smith (Rajasthan Royals), Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) and Finch (Royal Challengers Bangalore), the other Australian players who will miss out on the start of the IPL are Pat Cummins (Kolkata Knight Riders), Glenn Maxwell (Kings XI Punjab), Mitchell Marsh (Sunrisers), Josh Phillipe and Kane Richardson (Royal Challengers), Alex Carey and Marcus Stoinis (Delhi Capitals), Josh Hazlewood (Chennai Super Kings) and Andrew Tye (Royals).
According to the SOPS for the tournament, members will be tested once they land in the UAE before they go their hotels.
They will then undergo a mandatory seven-day quarantine in their hotel while geting tested three times in the week. If all three tests come negative, the members can join the squad.
Australia’s limited-overs tour of England will go ahead this month at bio-secure venues, officials said Friday, ater its players were given government clearance to travel. The confirmation ensures Australians will pad up for their first internationals in nearly six months, with Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Lyon and Marcus Stoinis recalled to the squad, while Usman Khawaja and Travis Head missed out.