IPL 2021: Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier return home after completing their isolation periods


IPL 2021: Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier return home after completing their isolation periods

Sandeep Warrier and Varun Chakravarthy

A rise in COVID-19 cases in the bio bubble saw the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) indefinitely postpone the the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. The move came after four players and two from support staff from three different franchises tested positive for the virus. The postponement has left authorities in a headache as of when to reschedule the remainder of the season.

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The very first of the players to have contracted the virus in the bubble, Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier have now returned home after completing their period of isolation. A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official confirmed the development.

Yes, Chakravarthy and Sandeep have gone home. They have completed 10 days of mandatory isolation. However, KKR as a franchise will keep monitoring their health. They will undergo RT-PCR tests in Chennai and Kerala respectively.

Sandeep, in particular, is doing fine. No temperature, no other symptoms, and he is feeling good. Varun is still a little under the weather, but better than yesterday and both of them are in good spirits,” said a BCCI official as quoted by The Hindustan Times.

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“Too early to say how we can find a slot to complete the IPL,” Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly

BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly spoke to Sportstar today and was asked if the IPL can be held in India to which he said, “No. India is supposed to go to Sri Lanka for three ODIs and five T20Is. There are lots of organisational hazards like 14-day quarantine. It can’t happen in India. This quarantine is tough to handle. Too early to say how we can find a slot to complete the IPL.”

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Speaking then on whether the IPL should have been called off earlier, he said, “You can say that now in hindsight that the IPL should have been called off earlier. Mumbai and Chennai (legs) did not have cases. Only when the IPL reached Delhi and Ahmedabad did the cases rise. People will say a lot of things in any case. The Premier League had so many people affected. But they could reschedule the matches. But you can’t do that with IPL. You stop it for seven days and it is done.”

Cricket Sri Lanka had earlier offered hosting the rest of the tournament. With the Indian teamtravelling to the island nation in July, it might be test run for BCCI before reacting to the offer. Meanwhile UK remains an option with four counties offering to hold the remaining 31 IPL games.

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