Josh Hazlewood, who was picked in the Chennai Super Kings side in the IPL 2020 auction for Rs 2 crore, has expressed concern over the coronavirus cases that have been reported in the team just before the start of the tournament and has said he has been updated with all the information.
The coronavirus cases in the Chennai Super Kings team just before the start of the Indian Premier League 2020 has made Josh Hazlewood, the Australian pacer concerned. Two players, Deepak Chahar and Ruturaj Gaikwad tested positive for the coronavirus along with 11 staff members. Hazlewood, who was purchased by the Chennai Super Kings for Rs 2 crore in the IPL 2020 auction, has said that he is currently focusing on Australia’s limited overs series in England. Australia will play three ODIs and three T20Is in Southampton and Manchester and after that, the players will embark on the IPL that is expected to begin on September 19.
Speaking to reporters, Hazlewood said he is following the updates closely and will have a chat with Cricket Australia. “At the franchise, we have a group WhatsApp, with all the information that comes through. It’s obviously a little bit of a concern. You ideally would have no cases. They are in quarantine now. All my focus is, obviously, on this tour at the moment. Once the IPL comes closer we will think more about that,” Hazlewood said.
Chennai Super Kings players and their quarantine has been extended to September 6 and this has thrown the entire IPL schedule in disarray. The BCCI is also working upon the logistics of inter-state travel, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi having different quarantine rules.
‘Not too much cricket’
For Australia, this will be their first bit of international cricketing action since March, when their ODI series against New Zealand was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. England, on the other hand, have been playing the Tests against West Indies and Pakistan as well as the ODIs against Ireland and the T20Is also against Pakistan. With a lot of cricket being played by England in contrast to Australia, Hazlewood admits that it will be a challenge to dethrone Eoin Morgan’s team. Australia were whitewashed 5-0 in the ODI series in 2018 and they will be desperate to avoid a similar situation in 2020.
“Morgan just runs a really good ship in the white-ball stuff and everyone knows their roles, their confidence is always high, they always win a lot of games of cricket so they’re pretty confident. It’s obviously tough and we’re coming off not much cricket ... England are flying at the moment,” Hazlewood said.
The T20Is will be played on September 4, September 6 and September 8 while the ODIs will be played on September 11,13 and 16.
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