IPL 2021: In a big move, CSK looking to get their players from Manchester to Dubai on THIS date

In what comes as a huge move, Chennai Super Kings is looking to get the Indian players who are part of the team to Dubai by Saturday. The boys will then undergo a six-day quarantine and join the rest of the squad members who are already in the IPL 2021 bubble.

Speaking to ANI, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan confirmed the development and said the team is keeping fingers crossed that the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur and Cheteshwar Pujara can fly into Dubai on Saturday. "Now that the Test match is off, we are looking to get the CSK boys into Dubai tomorrow," he said.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has offered to England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) a rescheduling of the cancelled 5th Test match which was scheduled to be played at Manchester from Friday. The BCCI and ECB held several rounds of discussion to find a way to play the Test match, however, the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Indian team contingent forced the decision of calling off the game.

The 14th season, which was postponed in May this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will resume on September 19 in Dubai with a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. The action will then shift to Abu Dhabi where Kolkata Knight Riders will square off against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Sharjah will host its first game on September 24 when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Chennai Super Kings. In all, 13 matches will be held in Dubai, 10 in Sharjah, and 8 in Abu Dhabi.

The BCCI has decided to do away with contact tracing devices for the UAE leg, starting on September 19. The Indian board decided that Bubble Integrity Officers will do the necessary contact tracing if any player tests positive for COVID-19 in UAE. The board has come up with a 46-page health advisory that lays down all the pointers that everyone associated with the IPL needs to follow in order to ensure the smooth functioning of the league.