IPL 2021: Franchise Officials Question Chennai Super Kings' Decision To Allow Laxmipathy Balaji And Michael Hussey To Fly

The BCCI’s decision to suspend IPL 2021 on Tuesday has brought with it an enormous number of challenges. The BCCI is responsible for every player’s safe return to their respective countries and it has kept itself busy to ensure the same by making all the arrangements. But amongst the Chennai Super Kings’ coaching staff, Laxmipathy Balaji and Michael Hussey have also tested positive for COVID-19 amongst a handful of others. Yet, having received permission to fly has raised plenty of questions.

On Thursday, the Chennai Super Kings decided to airlift Laxmipathy Balaji and Michael Hussey from Delhi to Chennai, a few days after their medical reports came out COVID-19 positive. The duo had earlier been isolated from the rest of the squad as per the protocols and are in good spirits. BCCI and CSK’s medical teams monitored them and the Super Kings extended their support for a speedy recovery for them. On the other hand, the other CSK members had to stay quarantined.

Nevertheless, a franchise official has questioned the move since COVID-19 positive should not receive permission to walk out of the room as they will risk plenty of people on their way. He reminded that the BCCI’s guidelines say that positive cases need 10-day quarantine, along with returning two negative reports on the ninth and tenth day and must not show symptoms without taking medication.

“How come two positive case people were allowed to walk out of their room? They potentially risked the driver, people at the airport, including security officials. BCCI’s guidelines say positive cases need a 10-day quarantine and should return with 2 negative tests on the 9th and 10th day and should not show any symptoms without taking medication,” a franchise official said as quoted by Times Now.

“This is endangered not just BCCI but government protocols as well. This is not how one of the top franchises in IPL should act,” another representative claimed.

Chennai Super Kings amongst the four franchises to report COVID-19 positive cases in IPL 2021:

The crisis began unfolding when on Monday, Kolkata Knight Riders’ two players tested positive for COVID-19. The news of Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier testing positive for the disease prompted the authorities to postpone their clash later in the day against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in Ahmedabad. It got worse after SunRisers Hyderabad’s Wriddhiman Saha and Delhi Capitals’ Amit Mishra also tested positive, with Chennai Super Kings’ few members reporting such instances. Later, it came to light that Michael Hussey and Laxmipathy Balaji were the ones testing positive.

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