Ravindra Jadeja to miss CSK’s conditioning camp in Chennai

The much-awaited 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to start from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the final to take place on November 10. The franchises have started working on the logistics required for organising training camps for the players.

The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is among the first ones to have announced hosting a conditioning camp for the players before their travel to UAE. The team is supposed to board a flight to UAE on August 21 while the conditioning camp is scheduled between August 15 and 20 in Chennai.

However, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will not be a part of the six-day camp due to some personal commitments. Nonetheless, Kasi Viswanathan, CSK’s chief executive officer, assured that the all-rounder will reach Chennai on time to board the flight with the team.

The camp is organised to mainly focus on the fitness of the players along with some cricket training. Other than Jadeja, all the prominent Indian players which includes the likes of MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Harbhajan Singh and many others have confirmed their presence in the camp.

Speaking to ESPNCricInfo, Viswanathan confirmed that the team has acquired an official written permission from the Tamil Nadu government to conduct the camp at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, behind closed doors. Also, the bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji will be the only member of the coaching staff present at the camp. Head coach Stephen Fleming and assistant coach Michael Hussey are likely to join the squad in Dubai by August 22.

Faf du Plessis and Lungi Ngidi to join the CSK camp after September 1

There is uncertainty over the availability of South African players for the first few days of the IPL as South Africa is under lockdown and has closed its borders as a measure to curb the spread of COVID-19. When asked about the same, Viswanathan said that the two Proteas players, Faf du Plessis and Lungi Ngidi, have confirmed their presence and they would reach UAE after September 1.

Du Plessis, Ngidi and Imran Tahir are the only three South African players in CSK for the 2020 edition. While the former two are stuck in South Africa, Tahir will join the squad after wrapping up the Caribbean Premier League in Trinidad. “When we spoke to Faf and Ngidi they said yes, we are coming. They have said that they will only be coming after September 1,” Viswanathan said.

He further added the South African backroom pair of Eric Simmons (bowling consultant) and Greg King (physical trainer) would join the squad in Dubai on August 21.