IPL 2021: Big setback for RCB, Devdutt Padikkal tests Covid-19 positive

IPL 2021: Big setback for RCB, Devdutt Padikkal tests Covid-19 positive. The Covid-19 scare for IPL 2021 and the BCCI is getting bigger by the minute. After Nitish Rana (KKR) and Axar Patel (DC) on Saturday, now Devdutt Padikkal of Royal Challengers Bangalore has tested positive.

Padikkal is undergoing quarantine after testing positive. RCB are scheduled to play this edition’s inaugural game against defending champions Mumbai Indians on April 9. According to the sources in RCB, Padikkal is unlikely to be available for first 2 games of RCB.

An official statement has been released by the team on their Twitter handle.

“Devdutt Padikkal tested positive for COVID-19 on 22nd March 2021. He has been in mandatory quarantine at his residence in Bengaluru since then. Devdutt will be fit to join the RCB bio-bubble once his RT-PCR tests are negative, as per IPL protocol.

“RCB Medical team is in touch with Devdutt ensuring his safety and well-being. He is feeling well and we can’t wait to have him join the squad for IPL 2021,” the statement read.

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IPL 2021: Big setback for RCB, Devdutt Padikkal tests Covid-19 positive.

On Saturday, InsideSport had reported that Delhi Capitals left-arm spinner Axar Patel, 8-10 members of the ground staff at the Wankhede Stadium, a franchise executive, 8 members of an event management company engaged by the BCCI and other individuals tested positive.

IPL 2021 in Mumbai – 8 IPL Event Managers test positive: The BCCI is in a fix now. Earlier on Saturday, 8 to 10 IPL event managers had tested positive for Covid-19. Not only this, but according to the information available with InsideSport.co BCCI’s official broadcaster Star Sports has also raised RED-FLAG with the Indian board about the Covid-19 situation in Mumbai.

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InsideSport.co earlier had reported that 8 members of ground-staff had tested positive on Friday, but now the BCCI sources confirmed that the number has increased to 10. “Yes, it was 8 positive cases yesterday as far as ground-staff are concerned. Today two more positive cases have emerged and all 10 have been sent back home and are isolated”.

“We are bringing fresh ground-staff from the Mumbai CA ground in Kandivali for preparations”, according to a senior MCA official.

Not only this but now, around 8 members of the event management team have also tested positive for COVID-19 and have been sent to isolation.

“Yes it is correct some 8-10 members of event staff have also tested positive”, a BCCI official confirmed to InsideSport

IPL 2021: BCCI in fix as broadcaster Star Sports also raise red-flag, Devdutt Padikkal & Axar Patel tests positive

InsideSport has reliably learnt from its sources both in BCCI and Star Sports, that the broadcaster is also extremely concerned about the deteriorating Covid-19 situation in Mumbai. The source further told InsideSport that the high-ups of the official broadcaster has got in touch with BCCI on Saturday morning and explained their concerns.

“Star is concerned about their broadcast-crew. If the ground-staff and event management team is getting Covid-19 infected – the same can happen to Star’s crew. They have to closely mingle around with both ground-staff as well as event team. That is the reason Star is very concerned about the situation”, said BCCI source to InsideSport.

When a senior BCCI office-bearer was asked about the situation, he admitted that BCCI is indeed concerned.

“Look, even if there is a lockdown, the teams are in bio-bubble and also it’s a closed-door event. So we are still confident that IPL games in Mumbai will be held as per schedule with Delhi Capitals playing Chennai Super Kings on April 10 on the second day of the tournament.

“But Hyderabad and Indore are there on stand-by in case the situation goes out of hand,” the office bearer told PTI on Saturday.

Indore and Hyderabad have been kept as stand-by venues for the IPL in case the COVID situation spirals out of control. Mumbai is scheduled to host 10 games of the cash-rich league.

With in excess of 47,000 cases on Friday, Maharashtra is looking at a potential situation of mini-lockdown. Of equal concern to the organisers is the number of groundstaff at the Wankhede going up from 8 to 10 between Friday evening and Saturday morning.

IPL 2021: Teams based out of Mumbai also getting very concerned about the situation

As of now, none of the teams currently in Mumbai — Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings — have access to Wankhede.

“Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings for example are taking turns to train at the Brabourne Stadium and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) ground. KKR is training in Navi Mumbai at the DY Patil before they leave for Chennai,” the official informed.

It is expected that BCCI’s medical unit will enhance the testing rate due to the surge of cases in the state. The event management and operations of IPL till last year, was handled by the IMG but from this year, the board is handling the event on its own.

“We have enough back-up staff to handle as we had factored in that the situation in Mumbai is grim at the moment. But yes, we are closely monitoring the situation,” the official added.