With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) planning to stage the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) from September 19 in the UAE, the Delhi Capitals (DC) are contemplating to host a training camp for its Indian players from August 15 in Delhi.
A final call on DC’s idea of having a training camp in Delhi ahead of the IPL 2020 will be taken in the IPL Governing Council meeting on Sunday (August 2).
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An official of the DC has revealed that the main aim of bringing the players together and working as a group is to help the cricketers get back into the groove while maintaining the health protocols enforced due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.
The official told IANS: “While the BCCI has informed us about the dates of the IPL 13, we are waiting for some finer details from the governing council meeting. Once that is done, a final call will be taken. As of now, we are looking at a camp from August 15, but that is subject to change as per the outcome of the GC. Once the owners are given the directives by the BCCI, we will hit the ground running.”
On being asked about how the outcome of the GC meeting might change plans, the official replied: “The GC will clear a lot of doubts about logistics when it comes to the UAE. So, after that, we can also think of having a camp sooner in the city, or just assemble here and head to the UAE at the earliest."
He further explained, "One thing is clear, the foreign players will be directly going to the UAE. We also need clarity about how the bubble will work, how the BCCI has planned the roadmap, and how it integrates with the blueprint created by us. But yes, as things stand, we are looking at a short camp in the city before flying to the UAE.”
He signed off by saying, “Most of the Indian cricketers have been locked in their flats and the idea will be to slowly get them back into the groove. They are all professionals, so it is more about the mental aspect after staying indoors for so long. Also, having a camp at your base helps.”
