Axar, more Wankhede staff test Covid positive
MUMBAI: Covid concerns around IPL grew with six days left for the season-opener in Chennai as Delhi Capitals and India spinner Axar Patel, two more Wankhede stadium ground staff (total 10), a Chennai Super Kings’ content team member and six event managers having tested positive by Saturday, organisers said.
Capitals are part of the Mumbai bio-bubble. Mumbai city, witnessing a surge in Covid cases, is due to stage 10 matches from April 10 to 25. The IPL is being staged across six bio-bubbles with Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata and Ahmedabad the other hubs, but Lucknow has been earmarked as a possible alternative in case the Mumbai leg has to be shifted, league officials said. Moving the caravan from Mumbai to Lucknow or any other venue will not be simple with players and officials at different stages of quarantine. Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings are based at various hotels in Mumbai. Teams are training at the Cricket Club of India, Mumbai Cricket Association’s suburban BKC facility and at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
A BCCI official, who did not wish to be identified, was hopeful the situation will not go out of control. “There were some alarms at the beginning of IPL in the UAE (in October-November) too. Once people began to stay consistently in the bubble things fell in place. We are confident at this stage that we will pull things off as per the existing schedule.” There were reports Hyderabad and Indore too could be backup venues, but officials of those associations said they have not been sounded out yet.
Left-arm spinner Patel had entered the DC team hotel on March 28 with a negative test report. His second test though returned positive. He was undergoing mandatory quarantine when the positive report came and did not come in contact with any other player. “He is currently in isolation at a designated medical care facility. The Delhi Capitals medical team is in constant touch with Axar and ensuring his safety and well-being,” DC said in a statement.
Patel is the second player after KKR’s Nitish Rana to test positive. Rana too tested positive after entering the team hotel. He has since tested negative, and joined team practice on Friday.
This year’s event management and IPL operations are being handled by BCCI. The job had been done by IMG, the international group. A board official said a majority of the personnel remain the same, but report to BCCI. Bubble Integrity Managers will be attached to each franchise and broadcast and operation teams for the duration of the league, and report on any protocol breach.