The IPL hasn’t even started yet but the tournament is already facing an uphill battle as an Aussie star is among a COVID-19 outbreak.
Questions have already been raised about the viability of the 2021 India Premier League season after Aussie Daniel Sams tested positive to COVID-19.
The Aussie quick is the second for Royal Challengers Bangalore to test positive after opener Devdutt Padikkal but joins a list of infections the tournament has seen just days out from the start.
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New Indian spin Axar Patel, Nitish Rana and 10 ground staff at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium have already tested positive in the lead up to the tournament.
It was also reported that Sachin Tendulkar had tested positive to COVID-19 last week.
Maharashtra state, which includes Mumbai, has become the epicentre of the new pandemic wave.
The number of new cases across India has reached nearly 90,000 a day — having doubled in less than two weeks.
The first fortnight of the tournament will be centred around Mumbai and Chennai.
Sams is in the Chennai bubble ahead of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s first match on April 9.
All eight teams, packed with many of the biggest cricket stars from around the world, have been put into secure bio-bubbles ahead of the start of the tournament.
Despite this, news of Sams’ positive test has sent shockwaves through the tournament with fears over whether it will be able to go ahead.
Sams is reportedly asymptomatic and has been quarantined.
He tested negative upon arrival at the team hotel but tested positive with the second Test.
“Official Statement: Daniel Sams checked into the team hotel in Chennai on April 3rd, with a negative COVID report on arrival. His report from the 2nd test on 7th April came positive. Sams is currently asymptomatic and he is currently in isolation at a designated medical facility,” the team tweeted.
“Royal Challengers Bangalore medical team is in constant touch with Daniel Sams and continue to monitor his health and abide by the BCCI protocols.”
It’s raised plenty of questions over the safety of the arrangements in Indian with plenty of questions asked.
It comes after a rush of positive cases ahead of the start of the IPL.
Axar Patel, who took four five-wicket hauls in the Test series against England last month, was found to have the coronavirus after joining his Delhi Capitals side as they prepare for the new IPL tournament.
He checked into the team hotel in Mumbai on March 28 “with a negative report,” the Capitals said in a statement.
“His report from the second COVID test, came positive. He is currently in isolation at a designated medical care facility,” the team added.
Last season, the IPL was held late in the year and was held in Dubai.
It comes after the likes of Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith and Glenn Maxwell got million dollar contracts ahead of the tournament, but Steve Smith copped a massive pay cut in the IPL auction.
— with AFP