Chennai: After reports of a Chennai Super Kings’ bowler testing positive for Covid-19 emerged, a lot of speculation also started with it, as to who the player was. Now in a fresh report from the Times of India, it has been revealed that the player is none other than India bowler Deepak Chahar, who has represented the nation in three ODIs and 10 T20Is.
CSK’s Chahar will now have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine period, and after that will have to test negative for the virus, twice in a span of 14 hours. However, the BCCI has still insisted that there is no immediate threat to the IPL 2020. “Adequate measures are in place to tackle the situation and there is no immediate threat to the tournament. But the announcement of fixtures has been delayed because of this development,” a top BCCI source told TOI.
It is noteworthy that CSK were the only team that underwent a preparatory camp in Chennai, before their departure to Dubai. The BCCI had raised its concerns about it to the CSK management also. “Senior BCCI officials had cautioned the CSK management about the risks of holding such a camp in India,” a BCCI source said. But the CSK management believes that all the players had tested negative for coronavirus before departure, and Chahar might have contracted the virus at the airport. “There are many players who were coming from a long lay-off. The likes of MS Dhoni, Deepak Chahar, Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina had played very little cricket even before the lockdown in March. That’s why CSK insisted on having the camp, to have a few extra days under their belt,” a source said.
“It is difficult but the entire team is on the same page. We know we are in a position to absorb this delay and take it in our stride,” a CSK source said. Also, it is believed that CSK will not ask the BCCI to postpone its matches. “As far as we know, we are playing on September 19 and that’s how we are preparing mentally.”