On May 24, Indian Sports Minister Kiren Ridge announced that the Indian government would decide whether to allow the 2020 Games due to “epidemic conditions”. On August 2, 2020, it was announced that the tournament will take place in the United Arab Emirates from September 19 to November 10, 2020.
The fully revised agenda for the matches was due to be published on 20 August 2020, but was delayed because of COVID-19 related tourism restrictions in the UAE. On 28 August 2020, ten individuals of the Chennai Super Kings group tested positive for the virus. The following day, another player from the team also tested positive. Later, the BCCI introduced some security protocols checking out on all players to be conducted commonly throughout the IPL this season. With less than three weeks before the start of the tournament, the schedule was no longer announced, and the hosts were searching for the opportunity of taking part in the opening section of the match in Dubai. The BCCI are spending around ₹10 crore extra than the estimated, on 20,000 COVID-19 assessments all through the IPL.
Mumbai Indians have decided to enlist the assistance of Smart Ring for their group gamers in the battle against Covid-19. This Smart Ring is a private health monitoring gadget which all players will put on during the IPL. Through this, the franchise will maintain a close watch on the health of the players. On 7 September, the assistant physiotherapist of the Delhi Capitals group was found to be corona infected.
Teams will announce a 15-man squad before the game begins. At any stage of the game, either after the fall of a wicket or the end of the over, a side can bring in a substitute for a player in the ‘Playing XI’. With the introduction of this rule, some of the groups may be particularly benefited.
The training sessions, too, will appear very different. The team’s protocol says that the players will have to keep a minimum of “2 m social distancing at all times and all places” during practice.
Once the squads land in the UAE, all members will undergo a test at the airport prior to heading to the group hotel. From this point, the IPL checking out protocol will kick in.
Players will not be permitted to use saliva to shine the ball. “If a player does apply saliva to the ball, the umpires will manage the situation with some leniency during an initial period of adjustment for the players, but subsequent instances will result in the team receiving a warning,” it had said in a statement released.
The players have also been advised to dress for training before they leave their hotel rooms, instead of changing at the ground. In case they use the shower in the changing room post-practice, they will have to ensure their “soaps, towels and other utilities are not shared”.
The IPL testing process and quarantine protocols would also apply to the players and coaching staff travelling to the UAE from the CPL, which is scheduled to end on November 10.
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