MS Dhoni delays return to Ranchi, wants his CSK teammates to depart first

What is a true trait of a leader? Is it someone who goes out for toss and takes all the on-field decisions? No, a leader is someone who takes all the responsibility of the team in and out of the ground and Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a genuine example of that. According to reports, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has informed his teammates that he will not leave for his hometown Ranchi until all his teammates have boarded the flights back home. 

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The ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League was suspended after a series of COVID-19 positive cases inside the bubble. All the participating players are rushing back home as the Coronavirus situation in India is very concerning. However, Dhoni believes that since the IPL was happening in India, foreign players and support staff should be given the preference to travel back home.

“Mahibhai said that he will be the last person to leave the hotel. He wanted foreigners to leave first, then the Indian players. He will be taking the last flight tomorrow when everyone reaches their home safe and secure,” a member of CSK was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

The England players were the first ones to depart. Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali and Jason Roy landed in London where they are undergoing 10-day quarantine after which they’ll head for their respective homes. Since Australia have banned all their flights from India, the Australian recruits will travel to Maldives and Sri Lanka where they’ll complete their quarantine before going back home.

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"What the BCCI is working to do is to move the entire cohort out of India where they will wait until it's possible to return to Australia," CA interim Chief Executive Nick Hockley told reporters in Sydney.

"That's now narrowed down to the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The BCCI is committed not only to the first move but also to putting on a charter to bring them back to Australia."

 On 3rd May, KKR’s Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier tested positive for the Coronavirus. A day later, Amit Mishra and Wriddhiman Saha returned positive results. There were few cases in the CSK contingent as well. The mini outbreak left BCCI with no option but to postpone the IPL. The board is now looking at the September window to complete the remaining matches of the T20 extravaganza.