IPL 2021 schedule: Did some franchises ignore public opinion, NOT favour IPL suspension?

The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) had already crossed the halfway mark and come under the scanner after several members of the Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings franchises tested positive for COVID-19. Among the notable names who tested positive are KKR players Varun Chakravarthy and SandeepWarrier, as well as, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan and bowling coach Laksmipathy Balaji.

IPL 2021 schedule: Franchises wanted tournament to go ahead despite raging pandemic 

As a result, the KKR vs RCB game which was slated to be played on May 3, was postponed with immediate effect. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was to reschedule the KKR vs RCB postponed game until it found out on Tuesday morning that Wriddhiman Saha and Amit Mishra also tested COVID-19 positive. That was the last nail in the coffin for the IPL 2021 as the BCCI's decision to continue with the tournament amidst the deadly second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic played out right outside its stadiums and hotels, have already made it highly unpopular with certain sections of the country.

The bio-secure bubble of the world's richest T20 league came under immense scrutiny. Questions were being raised on how a safe and secure bio-bubble was breached. Despite all the uproar, surprisingly many IPL franchises felt that there was no going back from this point and the tournament should continue in spite of the ever-increasing threat of the raging pandemic.

According to an InsideSport report, while speaking to PTI, a team official reckoned that there was no going back as half of the tournament done. He acknowledged that the news of positive cases in the KKR camp made the BCCI’s job more challenging. He added that everyone is strictly following the protocols laid out by the BCCI and there was no breach there.

Another team official is worried that with the IPL 2021 postponed, how long could it be held back. As a result, the BCCI should have encouraged to keep isolating the positive cases and playing. The question also is now about how would the overseas players get back home. Notably, the UK, Australia and New Zealand have banned travel from India and a number of players who belong to these countries are currently playing in the IPL

IPL 2021 postponed: IPL 2021 schedule goes for toss, rescheduling update awaited

Due to the deteriorating situation, the Kane Williamson-led Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rohit Sharma's Mumbai Indians did not train on the ground for the SRH vs MI 2021 game that is set to be played on Tuesday, May 4. This had already made fans wonder, "Will SRH vs MI match take place?"  Unrest was caused among franchises after reports of ground staff testing positive for the virus emerged. Nevertheless, while speaking to ESPNcricnfo, Rohan Jaitley, the president at the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association, who manages the Arun Jaitley Stadium assured that there is no one who is on duty at the IPL 2021 matches who tested positive.

Tuesday evening's SRH vs MI 2021 match would be rescheduled for some other date just like the KKR vs RCB postponed game.

SOURCE: IPLT20.COM