The number of coronavirus cases in the Chennai Super Kings contingent has set alarm bells ringing elsewhere.
All members of the CSK camp, except for the 13 who tested positive for Covid-19 early last week, have come out negative in the latest tests, the Indian Premier League team’s CEO Kasi Viswanathan said on Tuesday.
The tests were conducted on reaching the United Arab Emirates as part of the protocol.
Viswanathan had earlier stated that even the 13, including India seamer Deepak Chahar and India A batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad, were among those who returned negative in tests conducted on Monday. He later revised his statement.
Kane Williamson, who is due to leave New Zealand on Thursday to join his IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad in UAE, was among those who felt a bit apprehensive as a result of the positive tests.
“Obviously that’s bad news,” Williamson told Radio New Zealand on Wednesday. “You don’t want to hear anybody [has] Covid.
He added: “I hear they are predominantly asymptomatic, so hopefully through another lockdown period, they can come through and we’ll be okay. There’s a little bit of apprehension, certainly as you get nearer to the time... you start thinking you do have to be extremely vigilant and disciplined.”
The 13 infected contingent members will be tested at the end of their quarantine period. The IPL starts on September 19, moved out of India this year due to the pandemic.