The second wave of COVID-19 has affected India and the impending trouble to the bio-bubbles for the upcoming edition of the IPL has meant that the BCCI is mulling the idea of vaccinating its players by getting in touch with the Union Health Ministry. Devdutt Padikkal of the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Axar Patel of the Delhi Capitals tested positive for the virus very recently. Even KKR batsman Nitish Rana was also infected by the virus not long ago. This has put the bio-bubble in jeopardy.
With only a few days left for the start of the 14th season of the IPL, this has become a genuine concern on how to get things into place with the tension already mounting. Meanwhile, the BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla announced that the board is trying to get in touch with the Health Ministry to vaccinate the players.
"In order to cope with this coronavirus rise, I think the only solution is to get vaccinated. BCCI is also thinking on those lines that players should be vaccinated,” Shukla was quoted as saying by the ANI.
“Nobody knows when coronavirus is going to end and you can't give a deadline that by this time frame, it will not be there so players can play easily. So, I think now will have to think over that. Vaccination should be done for the players also.”
Meanwhile, former Indian skipper and President of the Hyderabad Cricket Association Mohammad Azharuddin offered the facilities of the state body to the BCCI to host the upcoming cash-rich league in case the matches slated to be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai are shifted out. The COVID situation in Mumbai is worsening with each day but with the bio-bubble in place, the management is hopeful of still conducting the matches at the Wankhede Stadium.
"In these difficult times there are all the more reasons for us to stand by each other. Hyderabad Cricket Association would like to offer its facilities to @BCCI to ensure that IPL2021 is conducted in safe and secure venues," Azharuddin wrote on his Twitter handle.
Despite over 9,000 cases getting reported in Mumbai on Saturday, a senior BCCI office-bearer is confident of still hosting the matches in Mumbai.
"Look, even if there is a lockdown, the teams are in bio-bubble and also it's a closed-door event. So we are still confident that IPL games in Mumbai will be held as per schedule with Delhi Capitals playing Chennai Super Kings on April 10 on the second day of the tournament," he had said.