Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood said Monday he was a “bit concerned” by a coronavirus outbreak at his Indian Premier League franchise but insisted he was fully focused on the national side’s white-ball tour of England.
Hazlewood is a member of the Australia squad who are set to face 50-over world champions England in three Twenty20 and three one-day internationals from September 4-16.
Following his Australia stint, the 29-year-old Hazlewood is set to head to the United Arab Emirates, where this year’s edition of the lucrative IPL T20 franchise tournament is being staged because of Covid-19, and play for the Chennai Super Kings led by India great MS Dhoni.
But IPL officials have reported that 13 Super Kings personnel, including two players, tested positive for coronavirus during tests administered from August 20-28 and have been isolated.
“The franchise, we have a group WhatsApp, with all the information that comes through, it’s, obviously, a little bit of a concern, yeah,” Hazlewood told reporters in a conference call from Australia’s training base in Southampton on Monday.
“They are, obviously, in quarantine now and I think they finish up over the next few days. All my focus is, obviously, on this tournament at the moment. Once that IPL becomes closer, we will think more about that.”
Hazlewood has played 51 Tests and 48 ODIS but appeared in just seven Twenty20 internationals, the last against India at Mohali in 2016.
