IPL 2020: Australian players including David Warner and Steve Smith likely to undergo 6-day quarantine upon their arrival

After many delays, the much-awaited T20 extravaganza– IPL 2020 is all set to start from September 19th in the UAE. The cash-rich league had to be shifted to the Gulf nation in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases in India. Overcoming all hurdles, the thirteenth edition of the tournament will provide fans with entertainment after COVID-19 hiatus.

56 league matches in the premier T20 tournament will go on until November 3, after which the top four teams will qualify for the playoffs. IPL 2020 will start with defending champions Mumbai Indians facing MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings in the season opener in Abu Dhabi. All franchises have already flagged off their preparations but they’re waiting for their Australian stars to join the base.

The Australian cricketers are expected to arrive in the UAE on September 17th, just two days before the start of the league. However, adhering to safety, they’ll have to follow a six-day quarantine before joining their respective sides. Australian stalwarts like Steve Smith and David Warner will also have to remain in isolation for six days upon their arrival, according to Chennai Super Kings bowling consultant Eric Simons.

After wrapping up their ODI series against England, Smith (Rajasthan Royals), Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) and Josh Hazlewood (CSK) will head straight to the UAE from the UK. They’ve also been confined to a bio-security bubble throughout the limited-overs series in England.

Eric Simons pointed out that there will be no leniency for the Australians and they’ll have no choice to undergo six-day quarantine before integrating with their respective IPL franchises.

There will be no ‘leniency’: CSK bowling consultant Eric Simons

“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.

Since their arrival in the UAE, MS Dhoni-led CSK have been hit with several blows. As many as 13 members including two players from CSK contingent had recently tested COVID-19 positive. Simons also revealed that the CSK players 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,” he said.