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The much-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to begin from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The franchises have reached Dubai where the players and officials are currently staying in their respective hotels for the quarantine period.
Not only this, but all the cricketers will also be placed under a bio-secure bubble for the whole duration of the tournament.
And to make sure that players follow all the rules and regulations, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli on Monday issued a strict warning to his teammates.
RCB’s official Twitter handle uploaded a video of a virtual conference call which took place between all the players and staff members. During the call, skipper Kohli laid out the laws and said that everyone should follow the protocols.
“We have followed what’s been told to us, and I would expect everyone to be on the same page in terms of securing the bubble at all times and making sure that nothing is compromised. Because I think one mistake by any one of us could literally spoil the whole tournament.
“And none of us want to do that. We have to understand that we need to protect the bubble. I can’t wait to get to our first practice session, something that we all are going to cherish. An opportunity to create a good team culture from Day 1,” said Kohli.
The 31-year-old articulated that any player who will breach the rules would be held responsible for letting down the entire team.
“For me, it’s all about what can I do to create an environment where everyone feels a part of the team equally, and everyone feels responsible for where we want to go equally. And all of us have to do our part to do that, especially the seniors.
“If someone ends up in a situation like this, for me that’s letting the whole side down. It might happen in a case where the team cannot afford to lose the player,” Kohli added.
“And if he does so, and we get harmed by it, the whole team, the whole system, the whole culture loses. I wanted to talk about it so that everyone understands the repercussions that might take place if we violate any of the rules,” the Delhi-born added further.
Mike Hesson lists out the consequences
After Kohli, RCB’s director of cricket operations, Mike Hesson, also briefed the players regarding the aftermaths of breaching the Covid-19 protocols.
“If there is a breach of the bubble, and it is a wilful issue, then it becomes a contractual issue between the player and RCB. It will be dealt with severely,” Hesson said.
“For accidental breach, players will be removed and sent into isolation for seven days and then come back only after he tests negative to be allowed to be back in a bubble again. There would be strong consequences if players chose to do that (violate protocols). Players will sign a document that explains the consequences,” he added.
Sneak peek into RCB’s first virtual team meeting of #IPL2020 after landing in the UAE, with @CoachHesson, @imVkohli and Simon Katich welcoming the team and addressing them on an exciting season that’s right around the corner! 💻🤩#PlayBold #BoldDiaries pic.twitter.com/VA4jY7HylN
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) August 24, 2020
RCB will be looking to change fortunes and win maiden IPL title. All matches will take place in three cities – Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
