XtraTime Web Desk: Three-time Indian Premier League champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had gone through a tough week as far as their preparations ahead of IPL 2020. Among the cricketers two players were tested positive for COVID-19 allong with their support staff. Beside that they faced another huge blow as their star left hand batsman and vice captain Suresh Raina pulled out of the cash rich league due to some personal reasons. Though on the very first day of September the CSK management has got a very good news as their two key Proteas cricketers , Faf du Plessis and Lungi Ngidi, landed in the UAE on Tuesday. “Early morning glories from the Rainbow Nation!” is how CSK captioned a picture of Du Plessis and Ngidi arriving in Dubai. Beside them another South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada too joined Delhi Capitals squad on Tuesday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) protocols state that players will have to quarantine for six days in their respective hotel rooms and clear three Covid tests before they can join the rest of the squad for training.
Du Plessis has been a regular feature in the CSK line-up and has played mostly in the top order.
He has 1,853 IPL runs from 73 matches at 31.40 while Ngidi, who missed the 2019 season through injury, has 11 wickets from seven IPL matches.
Raina’s departure means the No.3 slot in the batting line-up is also up for grabs and with Ambati Rayudu and Shane Watson forming a successful opening partnership for CSK last season, Du Plessis might be a good candidate to take the spot vacated by Raina.
The IPL 2020 begins on September 19 and the final will be played on November 10.