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IPL 2022: Delhi Capitals' Mitchell Marsh in hospital after testing Covid positive
Australian all-rounder and three others in the IPL team's bio-bubble test positive on Monday, taking cases to five. DC squad in precautionary quarantine, and delayed travel to Pune for Wednesday's game versus Punjab Kings.
Concerns of Covid positives affecting the ongoing IPL season rose on Monday after Delhi Capitals’ Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh tested positive. Marsh has been admitted in hospital, the IPL team said in a statement, after reportedly recording a low CT value in the RT-PCR test.
It would also worry the IPL management that the positive numbers within DC’s bio-bubble have gone up to five. Besides Marsh, a team doctor and a social media member have also returned positive tests. Team physio Patrick Farhart was the first to test positive, on Friday, followed by a team masseur. There is no immediate concern in other teams as each of the 10 IPL teams stay in separate hotels for the tournament, being played in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune.
The DC statement added: "A few more members from the Delhi Capitals bio-bubble, including support staff members, have returned positive tests as well. Though they are all asymptomatic, their condition is being monitored closely by the franchise."
Delhi Capitals were due to travel to Pune on Monday for Wednesday’s match against Punjab Kings, but were advised to stay in their hotel rooms and in precautionary quarantine once Marsh’s positive rapid antigen test result came. Till Monday evening, RT-PCR reports of other squad members were negative. As per the tournament guidelines, once a positive case is reported in a team, every member in the bio-bubble would be tested for five consecutive days. Anyone testing positive must go into isolation for at least seven days and will need two consecutive negative RT-PCR reports before re-joining the side.
Three staff members of south Mumbai hotel where DC are staying have also returned positive tests. Looking at the spread in the bubble, the DC contingent was due to undergo a fresh round of tests late on Monday. Based on that, a decision would be taken on who can travel to Pune.
Despite the worrying spread of the virus, a BCCI official was confident “the match won’t be impacted if further tests return negative”.
IPL is being played at home this year following a dip in Covid cases around the country with the central government relaxing social distancing guidelines that allow some fans in the stadiums. The operational rules of the tournament say the match would only be rescheduled if a team cannot field 12 players (at least 7 Indians). If that is required, a technical committee will rule.
That’s how DC played against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Mumbai on Friday, by following social distancing norms outside playing hours once everyone in the team bubble tested negative after Farhart’s positive report.
BCCI officials are hopeful the infections in the DC camp would soon be contained and not spread to other teams. There are already deliberations to hold the playoffs in Ahmedabad and Kolkata. The IPL Governing Council will decide soon. Last year, IPL was played in a “cluster caravan” format across cities, but had to be suspended after several team bubbles were breached during the second wave of Covid infections. The tournament was then resumed and completed in the UAE.
