MS Dhoni's parents test positive for COVID-19; admitted to private hospital in Ranchi

Former India cricketer MS Dhoni‘s mother, Devaki Devi, and father, Pan Singh, have tested positive for Covid-19. They both are currently under medical supervision, receiving treatment at Pulse Superspeciality Hospital in Ranchi.

The former Indian captain and the Chennai Super Kings skipper, Dhoni, is in Mumbai, leading the three-time champions in the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League. Dhoni is due to lead CSK in their 4th match of IPL 2021 on Wednesday against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium.

He had spent time with family after IPL 2020 in the UAE as he did not feature in any competitive matches before the ongoing season of IPL, although, he joined the team squad as early as March this year ahead of the league’s 14th edition, as he oversaw and led a training camp with all domestic players involved with the team in Chennai.

Along with his teammates, he then headed to Mumbai, where the players had served a week-long mandatory quarantine before beginning training for IPL 2021 as a part of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the BCCI.

IPL 2021 behind closed doors and in bio-bubble environment 

Notably, the 13th edition of IPL was shifted to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to the Covid-19 situation in India. After conducting the league successfully in the gulf country, BCCI was keen to hold the current edition in India. While the officials managed to get the tournament back in the country, the pandemic ensured that spectators are not allowed to witness live action.

This is the first time when all the games are being played at neutral venues in a caravan format, with none of the team having any home advantage. Strict bio-bubble environments have been created across the country even as the Covid-19 cases are surging at an unprecedented pace in what has now been confirmed as the second wave.

In the past 24 hours, India has seen over 2.95 lakh fresh infections, pushing the caseload in the country over a whopping 1.56 crore. The central and state governments have been tackling the situation by imposing strict regulations and creating micro-containment zones.