Dubai: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) pacer T Natarajan has tested positive for Covid-19, but even then the team’s IPL game against Delhi Capitals will go ahead Wednesday as scheduled, the BCCI said. Six persons, who had come in close contact with Natarjan, have also been put in isolation including India all-rounder Vijay Shankar.
The decision of the BCCI to go ahead with the event is not surprising. The BCCI earns approximately Rs 67 crore from television rights from each IPL match. A second suspension may well lead to the cancellation of the tournament as no more windows are available this year. It means a loss of approximately Rs 2,000 crore for the BCCI and the franchises. It should be stated here that last season, amid crowd-less stadiums at the UAE, the BCCI had earned revenues of Rs 4,000 crore from the tournament.
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The income generated from the tournament is transferred to the BCCI’s central pool. Then the entire amount is shared between the eight franchises and the BCCI. The cancellation of IPL-2021 at this stage would mean the franchises losing out on sharing of approximately Rs 2,000 crore. Also, each franchise has individual sponsors. Not having a game means losing out also on sponsorship money.
The 2021 edition of the IPL was suspended May 4, after a number of players like Wriddhiman Saha (SRH), Varun Chakravarthy (KKR) and L Balaji (CSK, bowling coach) had tested positive for Covid-19. However, even then while announcing the decision to suspend the tournament, the BCCI and the IPL governing council had said that they would try and conduct the remaining part of the tournament later in the year. Hence the tournament was again shifted to the UAE.
“Sunrisers Hyderabad player T Natarajan tested positive for Covid-19 at a scheduled RT-PCR test. The player has isolated himself from the rest of the squad. He is currently asymptomatic,” a BCCI release stated.
“The rest of the contingent including the close contacts underwent RT-PCR tests at 5.00 am local time this (Wednesday) morning and the test reports are negative. “As a result, tonight’s (Wednesday’s) game between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals will go ahead at the Dubai International Stadium,” it further stated.
As per the IPL’s standard operating procedure, Natarajan will now have to isolate for 10 days and test negative twice before being allowed back into the bubble.
