Dubai: The concept of keeping the world’s biggest cricket stars locked up in a training-hotel-match-training regime for more than 80 days can be incredibly demanding, if unrealistic, for Indian Premier League franchises.
The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for all IPL stakeholders, issued to franchisees a few days ago, requires strict restrictions on players and, with this in mind, 4 of them have already opted for waterfront homes that will allow players the option to loiter. Personal beaches: provide a detour of sanitized hotel gyms and pools.
Sources familiar with the matter told Gulf News that two of the most sensible groups, champions Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, co-owners through Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan, liked to stay in the homes of Abu Dhabi Island. Sunrisers Hyderabad of Bangalore and Virat Kohli will remain in waterfront homes in Dubai, while Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals will be here in the city.
The details of Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals are still known. “Negotiations are ongoing right now,” said a representative from one of the two franchises.
There has been a frantic activity at the headquarters of all franchises since they were asked to move forward after the IPL Board assembly last Sunday (August 2) with their arrangements to depart for the United Arab Emirates after August 20 to establish preparatory camps. Indian players have been heavily affected for nearly five months in the country due to the developing COVID-19 pandemic, most of which are left to their own devices.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Indians have begun quading their Indian players in a hotel with scheduled normal Covid-19 controls. Players who complete their quarantine will be able to exercise at their Navi Mumbai facility. The Royals also plan to check on their players and aid staff in the next two weeks before departing for Dubai. Another franchise has asked its Indian players to quarantine the property, as a precaution, while starting the controls.
If you ask me, it will take me 4 to five weeks to regain my touch to play against someone like Kagiso Rabada (Delhi Capitals), Robin Uthappa, a former Indian drummer who moved to Rajasthan Royals in a last month webinar. . Incidentally, Uthappa had a dream season for Kolkata Knight Riders when the IPL was last played here in 2014, when the Knights became champions.
A camp of this duration will be a long way off for Indian players this time, as they will have to remain in isolation for six days from the day of their arrival in the United Arab Emirates, where they will have to go through 3 tests one day out. two before. sign up for the Bio Bubble and the formations. This can mean a camp of only 3 weeks, which can be held at the ICC Academy complex in Dubai and on the two oval courts adjacent to Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
The Chennai team, led through its talisman M.S. Dhoni, did not allow members of the family circle to accompany players to the UAE at least during the initial stage of the tournament. They covered their stay in a hotel near the iconic Burj Khalifa after they were taken on a chartered flight from India.
“At least during the initial phase, the families won’t be with the players,” Chennai team sources said.
In addition, franchisees have requested a number of adjustments to the SOP draft – ranging from the rest of the quarantine of foreign players to that of families and a resolution will be taken shortly.
The IPL 2020 is scheduled to begin on September 19 and the last scheduled for November 10.
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