SRH's T Natarajan tests Covid positive, six close contacts isolated

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) player T Natarajan tested positive for Covid-19 hours before their IPL 2021 match against the Delhi Capitals on Wednesday. Six other members of the SRH squad identified as his close contacts have been isolated. BCCI, however, said the DC vs SRH match will go as per schedule in Dubai as the rest of the SRH squad members tested negative. 

Left-arm seamer Natarajan, who is returning from a long injury lay-off, is currently asymptomatic. 

"Sunrisers Hyderabad player T Natarajan tested positive for Covid-19 at a scheduled RT-PCR test. The player has isolated himself from the rest of the squad. He is currently asymptomatic.

"The medical team has identified the below mentioned six close contacts of the player, who have also been placed in isolation," BCCI said in a release.

The six members identified as close contacts of Natarajan are all-rounder Vijay Shankar, team manager Vijay Kumar, physiotherapist Shyam Sundar J, team doctor Anjana Vannan, logistics manager Tushar Khedkar and net bowler Periyasamy Ganesan.

The BCCI added that all the other members of the SRH squad, who went through RT-PCR tests early on Wednesday. 

"The rest of the contingent including the close contacts underwent RT-PCR tests at 5AM local time this morning and the test reports are negative. As a result, tonight's game between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals will go ahead at the Dubai International Stadium, Dubai," BCCI added.

As per the IPL's Standard Operating Procedure, Natarajan will now have to isolate for 10 days and test negative twice before being allowed back into the bubble.

The development is a major blow to SRH, who could not avail his services in the first leg due to injury. The 30-year-old Natarajan has 20 IPL wickets from 24 matches that he has played.

The IPL resumed here on Sunday after it had to be halted in May due to multiple Covid cases in its bio-bubble when the event was being staged in India.

Even at that time, SRH was affected when senior wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha tested positive.

The IPL resumed in Dubai on Sunday with defending champions MI taking on CSK, after it had to be halted in May due to multiple Covid cases in its bio-bubble when the event was being staged in India.