After the whole Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 moved to the UAE because of the coronavirus, strict measures are taken to make sure that the league operates smoothly. Scheduled to run from September 19th  to November 10th, it will cover three venues – Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. There’ll be no live audience present and it’ll be a complete biosecure bubble. Upon arrival, all players will remain in a total quarantine for 6 days where they’ll be tested and allowed to participate only if negative twice.

Set during such an eventful time for everyone on the planet, this will certainly be an epic season to follow. The whole cricket world is eagerly awaiting to learn the odds first before anyone places any betsand the fans are closely watching the players’ every step, hoping they’ll follow through with all of the requirements and score a win when the season kicks off. In this context, it’s no wonder that KingsXI Punjab was relieved at the news that the star batsman, Chirs Gayle, has taken off to Dubai to join the team after two negative tests.  

Under the Radar

Was there any real reason to be worried about the presence of the ʽUniversalBossʼ? It has been reported that Gayle attended the 34th birthday party of Usain Bolt in Jamaica on 21st. The concerns were raised when the legendary sprinter tested positive for the virus. Bolt is not showing any symptoms but he still decided to follow the protocol and quarantined himself. 

This is what worried the KXIP concerning their left-hander batsman, but Gayle passed both needed tests before the flight. The joy of being negative two times may have been what prompted him to even joke on his Instagram Story, saying that the second testing kit ʽwent a bit too far in his noseʼ.  

After the arrival in the UAE and another test right at the airport, Gayle’s up for a 6-day quarantine with three more tests – on the first, third, and fifth day. If cleared, he’ll be able to join his teammates who are eagerly waiting for him in the Sofitel The Palm Resort.

Praise From The Captain

KL Raul, KXIP’s newly-appointed captain, had only words of praise for Gayle in his video for the IPL’s official website. He spoke about the positive mutual influence they had onto each other that evolved into a close friendship during several years of playing together. He said he’ll include Gayle in the core group of the team for the IPL 2020, adding that the experience of this opening batsman makes him a great guy to have in the team, someone who will certainly win matches. 

Stats Speak For Themselves

Even without the captain’s phrase, both the team and fans know how valuable player Chris Gayle is. Since the start in 2008, Gayle is one of the regulars with 125 IPL matches and incredible stats. Over the 24 matches he played for KXIP he managed to score 858 runs. He reached his highest score up to date in the 2018 edition, which was 104 not out. As the top run-scorer inside the T20 format, he’s certainly deserved the status of the most prominent face of the team. 

It may seem like the Bolt’s birthday party was a close call, but the two negative tests indicate that Gayle will appear on the IPL 2020 field and give a blistering start for his team once again.