IPL 2021: MI cancel training; players, support staff undergo tests after More returns positive

After Kiran More’s positive result, the Mumbai Indians players and all the support staffs can breathe a sigh of relief after their COVID-19 test results have come negative despite MI scout and wicket-keeping consultant Kiran More testing positive not long ago.

The five-time IPL champions have set up their base in Chennai and will play the IPL opener against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on 9th April. As per reports in the ANI, it is learnt that the training session of the defending champions was cancelled and all the players and support staffs underwent the COVID test as they were staying in the same hotel with More. However, there is nothing to worry about as all the results have come out negative.

As per the health guidelines, More has been isolated from the group. "Mumbai Indians and Kiran More have followed all the BCCI health guidelines. The MI medical team will continue to monitor More's health and abide by the BCCI protocols," MI tweeted.

As per the guidelines of the BCCI, a player or support staff who tests positive for COVID-19 have to isolate themselves outside the bio-secure bubble for atleast 10 days from the first day of the symptoms or the date of collection of the sample.

This has been testing times for IPL and especially in Mumbai. Quite a few ground staff has tested positive for the deadly virus which was confirmed by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) on Tuesday.

"Two more ground staff members and one plumber returned with positive Covid-19 results on Monday. Earlier, 10 ground staff members had tested positive for Covid at the Wankhede," an MCA source was quoted as saying by the ANI.

"There is a clubhouse inside the Wankhede Stadium, all the groundstaff will stay there till the Mumbai leg is over in order to conduct the IPL smoothly," the source added.

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Indians bit more tolerant: Ganguly veils attack at English-Aussie players

The President of the Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly feels that Indian players are mentally more strong and have more capacity to observe the situation than the foreign players, say of England Australia or West Indies. Veiling an attack on those players, the former India captain tried to suggest that there is not much threat to the IPL as is being perceived. "I feel we Indians are a bit more tolerant than overseas (cricketers). I have played with a lot of Englishmen, Australians, and the West Indians, they just give up on mental health," Ganguly told reporters in Chennai ahead of the first IPL game of the season. Mumbai Indians will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on April 9. Projecting the Indian players as people who took the bubble scenario in an exemplary manner, the 48-year-old said, "In the last six-seven months, with so much cricket being going on in the bio-bubble, it's so tough. Just going from the hotel room to the ground, handle the pressure and come back to the room and then get back to the ground again, it's an absolutely different life." The Bengal Tiger then went on to compare the Indian team with respect to the English and Australian sides, one of which cancelled its South Africa tour due to rising Covid-19 cases, while the other had to cancel it mid-way. "Look at the Australian team, they were supposed to go to South Africa for a Test series after India played there. They refused to go there...," said Ganguly. Saying that mental training of expecting the worst-case scenario and living with it is the only way forward as far as fighting with Covid-19 mentally is concerned. "There's this scare of Covid. 'Hope it's not me the next time’. You have to stay positive, you have to train yourself mentally. All of us have to train ourselves mentally so that goodwill happen. It boils down to training,” Ganguly added.

IPL 2021: Rishabh Pant hoping to use the learnings from MS Dhoni in a bid to outstage him

Newly-appointed Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant cannot wait for his captaincy stint to start especially due to the fact that his first match as a captain will be against his childhood idol Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings play their first match on 10th April at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Pant who was elevated as the DC skipper is hoping to use “learnings” from Mahendra Singh Dhoni in a bid to upstage him in their opening match of the competition. “My first match as captain will be against Mahi (MS Dhoni) bhai. It will be a good experience for me as I have learned a lot from him. I have my own experience as a player as well. I’ll apply my own experience and the learnings from MS Dhoni, and try to do something different against CSK,” Pant was quoted as saying in a press release by the Delhi Capitals. Pant had a forgettable time with the bat during the previous edition of the Indian Premier League. With the lockdown and players not able to practice much, Pant gained a lot of weight which affected his batting quite a lot. He was nowhere close to the same Rishabh Pant which we had seen in the previous seasons. However, he made a commendable comeback in the tour to Australia where he played a couple of series changing knocks. He played a sensational knock in the fourth and the final Test in Gabba which resulted in a historic series win for India Down-Under. He went from strength to strength and was at his stupendous best during the Test series against England. He smashed his first Test century at home and some of his shots oozed class and confidence. The southpaw had a great time with the bat in the limited-overs series as well and he will surely look to take the confidence to the IPL and hope to lead DC to their first IPL title. “I am looking forward to making most of this opportunity. We haven’t won a title yet and I will try my level best to get a title this year. We’ve been playing nicely as a team for last two-three years and our preparations are going on well. Everyone looks in a great frame of mind. Everyone is giving their 100 per cent and is happy in the team environment, and that’s what you want as a Captain,” Pant said. Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting is the current head coach of the Delhi Capitals. Speaking on his influence in the team, Pant said that his presence always boosts the team to go and perform. He hopes to win the title with the help of Ponting and the whole team. “He (Ricky) has been so amazing for us in the last two-three years. He brings energy to the team and as a player when you see your coach and you’re thinking this is the man from whom you can learn a lot, then nothing is better than that. Hopefully, we will cross the line this year, with the help of Ricky and the whole team.”

Warwickshire complete signing of Hanuma Vihari

India’s middle-order batsman Hanuma Vihari has joined English county Warwickshire for the upcoming first-class season. The 27-year-old would most likely be a part of at least three games for the Birmingham based side. "Yes, Vihari will be playing in the English county side for Warwickshire this season. He would play a few games. He is in England now," Sportstar quoted a senior BCCI official as saying. As the contract is still being finalised, the official announcement from the County has not come yet. With Vohari already having left for England, it is most likely that within a day or two the announcement would be made. An integral part of the Indian Test set-up, the Andhra batsman is looking to sharpen his skills ahead of the all-important World Test Championship and a full-fledged tour of England. Vihari, who has scored 624 runs in 12 Tests at an average of 32.84, was last seen in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match between Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. He last international innings is hailed as one of the best fighting knocks by an Indian on foreign soil which came in Sydney where he and Ravichandran Ashwin batted on for more than 400 deliveries to draw a crucial Test match. Vihari got injured in that very game and to gain full fitness and match practice he has decided to pursue a county stint as he was not picked by any franchise in the IPL. "With a curtailed domestic season this time and Vihari being a part of the Test side, he needs match practice. All his other Test colleagues are part of IPL teams, including Cheteshwar (Pujara). Even if it's white-ball games, they will be fit and match-ready," the BCCI source added about Vihari.

IPL 2021: Faf du Plessis sweats it out in the nets ahead of 14th season

Faf du Plessis, one of the most integral members of the Chennai Super Kings outfit was seen sweating it out in the nets ahead of their opening game of IPL game against the Delhi Capitals on 10th April. The whole CSK outfit is currently stationed in Mumbai. Wankhede Stadium will host the first of their five matches in the cash-rich league. The 14th edition of the IPL kicks off on 9th April with the opening match slated to be played between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Chennai Super Kings who failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time last year will look to start afresh and Faf du Plessis will surely play a crucial role if they have turn things around. In a video shared on the official Twitter handle of the Chennai Super Kings, one can see Faf having a chat with chief coach Stephen Fleming and then playing some of his trademark shots in the nets. He looks in full flow and the CSK fans will be hoping that Du Plessis plays a stellar role for the yellow brigade this time around. Du Plessis has been those very few players who have played for a single franchise. He was bought by CSK in the 2011 Auctions and has remained with them since then. He has been a vital cog in the top order and has played quite a few match-winning innings for his franchise.