Chennai Super Kings’ experienced off-spinner Harbhajan Singh will join the team only on September 1 due to ‘personal’ reasons.
He will be quarantined away from the rest of the team for seven days and apart from clearing two Covid-19 tests in India, will have to pass three of them on arrival in Dubai and on days three and six, before he can join the team.
The last few days have tested CSK’s resolve. After being hit by Covid-19 – two of its players, swing bowler Deepak Chahar and young batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad, have tested positive – CSK lost its batting mainstay Suresh Raina on Saturday, who has pulled out of the tournament due to “personal reasons”. The 13th edition of the IPL gets underway from September 19.
CSK’s preparatory camp in Chennai has come under immense scrutiny. It is being speculated that the team members could have contracted the virus during the training camp in Chennai before their departure to the UAE. The six-day long conditioning camp was held for the Indian players. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan had said that he was skeptical of holding the camp but was convinced to do so by MS Dhoni.
“When we announced that the tournament is going to happen, I had reservations about conducting the camp here because of the bio-bubble which we will have to observe,” Viswanathan said in a video published by Super Kings on YouTube on August 26.
“In fact, I even sent a message to him whether it will be worthwhile having a camp of five days before we leave for Dubai. But captain (Dhoni) was crystal clear in his thoughts.”
“He said: ‘No, Sir, we have not played for nearly 4-5 months. All of us need to get together. We should be in Chennai, in a bio-bubble, so that we get used to that when we land in Dubai. And also will help the boys getting in shape.’
“This camp, though we had some reservations, has really helped. And I am very happy we were able to host the camp.”
