Players go back home as IPL franchises call off camps till further notice

Four-time champions Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings as well as Kolkata Knight Riders have already cancelled their camps. Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday deferred their training camp, which was scheduled to begin on March 21, due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country. RCB tweeted keeping in mind the health and safety of everyone involved as the RCB Training Camp scheduled to start on the 21st of March has been deferred until further notice.

"Keeping in mind the health and safety of everyone involved, the RCB Training Camp scheduled to start on the 21st of March has been deferred until further notice. We request everyone to follow the guidelines provided by the Health Ministry and stay safe," tweeted RCB, reported The Times Of India.

The BCCI, last Friday, suspended the IPL following government-imposed travel restrictions and refusal by three states to host any matches owing to the pandemic that has so far claimed more than 6,000 lives globally while infecting over 1,60,000 people. India have so far reported 114 positive cases for COVID-19 with two deaths.

Three-time winners Chennai Super Kings had suspended their camp on Saturday, after which their talisman Mahendra Singh Dhoni left the city. The franchise owners are hoping that in case the IPL starts on April 15, the state governments, which have denied permission for matches, will be ready to give the green light should the situation improve.