Covid cases hit IPL; what next?

The inevitable has happened in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Covid scare is getting real after a few positive cases emerged in the Delhi Capitals camp. The first case was that of DC’s physiotherapist Patrick Farhart. Monday morning brought with it news of Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh falling prey to the pandemic, forcing the franchise to delay its travel to Pune for its next IPL match against Punjab Kings on Wednesday.

Subsequently, all players and other support staff were quarantined in their rooms, where they will stay till door to door testing is conducted on April 18 and 19. At least four fresh positive cases have emerged in the DC camp. Marsh has been admitted to hospital and DC said on Monday evening that “a medical team is closely monitoring his condition.”

The new vocabulary these days in the IPL includes RAT, RT-PCR, bio-secure bubble, bubble breach and bubble fatigue.

There are some serious questions that need to be asked here. Has there been a burst in the IPL’s bio-bubble? Is this the first of many? Do you feel players are monitored as closely as expected to ensure there is no lapse? There is surely a question mark over IPL’s bio-bubble efficacy after the Covid cases. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) to everyone who’s involved. So where did things go wrong?

Everyone knows it is hard in the bio-secure environment as there are multiple restrictions; like one cannot go out of the hotel, cannot meet family or friends (from outside the bubble), and cannot entertain guests – which is a big challenge for players. Being confined to a limited area inside hotels and stadia can take a toll on one’s mental health. Because of this, several players decided to avoid the stress by opting out of the tournament.

In order to cut down travel, and to have a controlled bubble, the BCCI settled on just four stadiums (Brabourne, Wankhede, Maharashtra Cricket Association and DY Patil Sports) at two locations (Mumbai and Pune) for all 74 matches of the current IPL. Even though a very limited crowd is allowed inside the stadiums, the promise of social distance and mask-wearing is a burst bubble.

With Covid cases rising outside the IPL bio-bubble, the virus threat inside the protected environment has also increased. Last season, the IPL was suspended midway when the second wave came along, and if more cases emerge in this year’s edition too, then IPL lovers could be staring at its second leg in the UAE or South Africa. On Twitter, fans have already started chanting ‘Cancel IPL’. That most of them could be Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians supporters is another matter.

It will be unfair if the 15th edition of IPL is abandoned without seeing a winner, and the BCCI yet again has to look for an alternate venue. Hope it revisits its SOPs, identifies the loopholes and plugs them… soon.