IPL 2020 | CSK players test COVID-19 negative; one test away from September 5 practise

In what started as mandatory COVID-19 tests ahead of the CSK players taking the field for practice, the weekend has turned into a long headache for the franchise. Two of its players - Deepak Chahar and Ruturaj Gaikwad - having reportedly tested COVID-19 positive amidst ten other support staffs. However, the franchise’s troubles have been put aside in the latest round of tests, which cleared both the players and the support staff as COVID-19 negative, barring the ones who previously tested positive. 

The players and staff, who tested negative on Monday, would have to go through another round of the test on September 3, before they can start practising from September 5. However, the quarantined duo would not be available to be part of the training session before September 12, when their two-week-long quarantine period comes to an end. 

"We hope that everything will be sorted out over the next few days and we will be able to come up with our best performance in the IPL," a source said, reported TOI. 

While the Proteas duo of Lungi Ngidi and Faf du Plessis landed in the Middle East for their quarantine period, the franchise is still awaiting on Harbhajan Singh, who has postponed his trip owing to personal reasons. On top of that, the franchise's CEO Kasi Viswanathan admitted that they are yet to hear from the BCCI regarding the opening fixture of the tournament. As per the tournament customs, previous edition's winner and runner-up take the field on the opening day of the competition. 

"That is a BCCI decision. The Covid cases in our teams are mostly among the social-media handlers. We will be ready to play the first game if asked. We have been told that the schedule will be out in the first week (of September), we are expecting the dates to be out in the next few days," said KS Viswanathan, the CEO of the franchise.