With less than a week to go for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 to kick off, there are concerned from within then cricket fraternity with the coronavirus situation in the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. Groundstaff at the stadium have tested positive for COVID-19, and there are genuine concerns that they may have interacted with other groundstaff. Replacing only the ones who have tested Covid-positive may not be enough and the only way of resolving the situation is to bench all members of the groundstaff, are the sentiments gathered by NDTV in conversation with cricket operation officials.
The Wankhede stadium is set to host 10 games in IPL 2021.
The first match at the Wankhede will be on April 10, with last year's finalists Delhi Capitals taking on three-time champions Chennai Super Kings.
IPL 2021 kicks off on April 9, with defending champions Mumbai Indians facing off against Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai.
The IPL is returning to India this year after moving out to the UAE for the 2020 season due the coronavirus pandemic.
IPL 2020 was held across Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi as Mumbai Indians marched to a record-extending fifth title.
This year's IPL has been scheduled across six cities with the coronavirus pandemic in mind. The tournament will be played across Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Delhi and Ahmedabad.
All games will be held in neutral venues, ensuring that no team gets a home advantage.