IPL 2020 dented further with TV crew member from India testing COVID-19 positive?

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is slated to commence on September 19 with the final scheduled to be played on November 10. However, there is a huge cloud of uncertainty looming over the start of the cash-rich league. Recently, several members of the Chennai Super Kings outfit including two players, tested positive for coronavirus. On top of that, Suresh Raina also pulled out of the IPL 2020 reportedly because of CSK coronavirus situation.

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IPL schedule: One member of Star India's production crew tests positive for COVID-19

And now according to a recent development, at least one member of Star India's production crew, who was in the first batch to leave India for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday, tested positive for the ungodly virus due to which the official broadcaster had to postpone their flights. This development has further increased the doubt over the commencement of the IPL 2020.

According to InsideSport, a BCCI source told a prominent news agency that Star India had asked the first lot of Indian crew members to reach the UAE from India on August 31, after reports of their COVID-19 tests which were hurriedly done on Saturday. However, one of them tested positive and on getting this news, the broadcaster immediately sent an instruction to all the personnel to cancel their Emirates flight to the UAE. However, even if they reach the UAE a few days later, their quarantine period may also be extended once they reach there.

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The fact that the BCCI has still not released the IPL schedule with just 18 days left for the cricketing extravaganza to start, has left many cricket enthusiasts surprised. Along with the IPL schedule, the large numbers of COVID-19 positive tests have further put the tournament into jeopardy. The BCCI is desperate to organise the IPL 2020 as there is a lot of money at stake.

IPL 2020: Suresh Raina leaves due to possible rift with MS Dhoni

The CSK camp hasn't officially stated the reason behind Suresh Raina leaving in a huff. While some reports have stated that a relative of Suresh Raina getting murdered on August 20 in a village in Punjab's Pathankot was the reason, others have said that the southpaw left because of the COVID-19 threat after several members of the CSK contingent tested positive for the ungodly virus. But these reports might not entirely be true.

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As reported by Outlook India, ever since the CSK reached the UAE, Suresh Raina was unhappy with the hotel room provided to him. The report further stated that Suresh Raina was finding the stiff protocols of the bio-bubble claustrophobic and wanted a similar room that MS Dhoni had been provided. 

The report said that the issue with 'Raina's room not having proper balconies' became a flashpoint as the CSK team quarantined itself in the team hotel. MS Dhoni could not convince Suresh Raina and everything went haywire from there. It added that after 13 members of the Chennai outfit including two players, tested positive for coronavirus and were isolated, Raina's fears only grew, making him walk away from the competition.

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IMAGE COURTESY: INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE TWITTER