IPL 2021: CSK batting coach Michael Hussey tests positive for COVID-19; first overseas member to contract virus

Former Australia cricketer and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batting coach Michael Hussey has been tested positive for COVID-19. Hussey is the third member of CSK contingent to contract virus after bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji and the bus cleaning staff. He is also the first overseas member of the IPL to return a positive result.

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Rather his results had returned positive on Tuesday itself but the franchise felt it could be false positive which was the case with the CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan. So he underwent another test and even those results have returned positive now.

Hussey will be in isolation now for 10 days and it seems that he won't be able to travel to Australia with his other country mates. Interestingly, even they are not travelling to Australia directly and might go to Maldives or Sri Lanka first and then travel home. Australia has banned all travellers from India, even their own citizens and has made it a criminal offence if they break the rule.

Meanwhile, it is also understood that Hussey has reported borderline symptoms and is absolutely fine according to Todd Greenberg, the chief executive of the Australian Cricketers' Association. "We've spoken to Mike today. He is in good spirits. His symptoms are relatively mild. He is in a stint of isolation in his hotel room...he has good support systems around him," he said according to ESPNCricinfo.

As far as the IPL is concerned, the tournament was suspended for indefinite period after multiple cases were reported on Tuesday inside in the bubble. The BCCI is now looking at the September window to finish the IPL just before the T20 World Cup scheduled to be played in October-November.