IPL 2020: Players staying with their families in the UAE

The 13th season of the IPL is set to go underway from 19th September 2020 in the United Arab Emirates. After a roller-coaster ride of over five months, the things are yet not under complete control. The BCCI has put untiring efforts to make the event a possibility and they have indeed progressed immensely in their operation.

Through a 16-page Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) document provided to each one of the franchises earlier last month, the BCCI laid down a host of guidelines related to the maintenance of bio-security bubbles, travel guidelines, quarantine schedules, social distancing protocols, match-day regulations, testing positive during the tournament, provisions regarding the families of the players and other guidelines. It was further laid that an act in contravention of the SOPs shall attract strict penalties.

As per the issued instructions that family members of the players will not be allowed to travel to the match destinations or the place of residence in the same bus alongside the staff etc. Further, once inside the bio-bubble, no one, including the family members of the players, will be allowed to leave. In case any person breaches the bubble, a specific manner will be followed before allowing them to re-enter in the bubble.

While following all the guidelines and instructions and rules and regulations, some players have decided to stay with their families. Here are all of them-

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli was seen working and training hard in the entire period that he stayed away from cricket. Even though he admitted that he did not miss the game as much as he thought he would, his commitment and dedication did not decrease towards it.

The RCB skipper shared the delightful news as he announced pregnancy through his official Instagram handle sometime after reaching to the UAE. The franchise made sure to organise a special ceremony to congratulate the couple on their imminent parenthood. Virat has been staying with wife Anushka Sharma.

Rohit Sharma

During the time that he got off from the game, Rohit Sharma stayed quite active on social media and interacted with a number of players from the past and present through his social media handles. He was also seen training and following his routine for what he was waiting as eagerly as each one of his fans: getting back to hitting massive sixes.

He travelled with wife Ritika Sajdeh and daughter Samaira  last week. The happy family seems to be spending some quality time before the tournament gets underway. The MI skipper took to his official Instagram handle and Twitter to post a video of a sturdy workout session alongside his wife. Earlier, Rohit also shared the glimpses of watching a movie that neither he nor the little one seemed to like with a lighthearted caption underneath.