IPL 2020: CSK’s Eric Simons says Australian players will have to undergo six-day quarantine

Chennai Super Kings have Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood in their squad.

CSK have Australian Josh Hazlewood in their squad | GettyChennai Super Kings (CSK) bowling consultant Eric Simmons has shared that Australian players arriving to participate in the upcoming IPL 2020, will have to undergo a six-day quarantine, despite coming from a bio-secure bubble in England.

The IPL 2020 begins from September 19 onwards with CSK taking on MI in Abu Dhabi.

Steve Smith (Rajasthan Royals), David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad), and Australia team-mate Josh Hazlewood (CSK) will head straight to the UAE from the UK after the third and final ODI against England on Wednesday. They have been in a bio-secure bubble throughout the limited-overs series in England.

Simons however said no leniency has been granted by the UAE government and the Australian players will serve a minimum of six days in quarantine before integrating with their squads.

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"We are hearing — although it's not confirmed yet — that they will also have to self-isolate in their rooms for six days and produce negative tests on the first, third, and sixth days before they can join us," Simons wrote in his column for Manners on Cricket website.

"We had hoped that they could all move from their current bio-secure bubbles into ours but it seems likely that there will be no 'leniency', which is understandable. Apart from our brilliant Indian players, led by the ageless MS Dhoni, we do have Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis and Lungi Ngidi in full training so there's no shortage of talent,” he added.

The Australian cricketers are expected to arrive in the UAE on 17 September.

Simons also revealed that the CSK members have to wear a smart health tracking device whenever they step out of hotel rooms. "We were issued with tracking devices to be worn around our necks whenever we left our hotel rooms but our physiotherapist has been very creative in turning them into 'watches' so at least that doesn't feel restrictive," said the former South African coach.

(PTI inputs)

 
 

By Jatin Sharma - 13 Sep, 2020

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