BCCI President Sourav Ganguly tests negative for COVID-19, home quarantined since a week

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has tested negative for COVID-19 on Friday evening. The former Indian skipper had given his samples as a precautionary measure after his elder brother Snehashish Ganguly had tested positive for the virus. Ganguly has also been in home quarantine since the last week. 

"Ganguly is living with his ailing mother and family, so as a precautionary measure he took the test voluntarily and the report came negative on Friday evening,” a source close to the BCCI president told PTI.

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CAB secretary recovering

The PTI source also informed that the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) secretary Snehashish Ganguly is recovering well and is expected to be discharged in a few days. Snehasish’s family — wife, mother-in-law, father-in-law along with their domestic help had tested positive for COVID-19 on June 20 at their Mominpur residence.

Sourav Ganguly has been at the helm of Indian cricket for almost a year now and is expected to keep off his duties as his six-year tenure nears an end. As per the Lodha Committee reforms, Ganguly is expected to begin his 'cooling-off' period. However, the board is pushing for an extension of his tenure and for the former Indian captain to continue as the President. The Supreme Court is likely to take up the case in the first few weeks of August. Ganguly's extension has been deemed necessary with the IPL being held in UAE under unprecedented circumstances.

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IPL moves to UAE

The 13th edition of the IPL which was indefinitely postponed had to be moved out of India owing to the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the country. The tournament will begin on September 19 and the final will be held on November 8. The franchises will travel to the Middle-Eastern country 25 days before the first match to enter the bio-secure bubble. It has been reported that the New Zealand cricket board has already decided to issue NOCs to its players to participate in the IPL.

Earlier, IPL Chairman Brijesh Patel had confirmed that the BCCI has sought permission from the Central government to hold the tournament in UAE. "We have sent a request letter to the concerned ministry with central govt seeking its permission to hold IPL in UAE between September end and November first week. We are hopeful things will get better and we will get a final clearance," IPL chairman Brijesh Patel had told Republic TV.  

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(with inputs from PTI)