CSK fly in Hussey, Balaji to Chennai in air ambulance

Chennai: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batting coach Mike Hussey and bowling coach L Balaji have been flown into the city from Delhi in an air ambulance as they recover from COVID-19, a top franchise official said on Thursday.

Hussey and Balaji were among the prominent non-playing staff to test positive when the IPL was "indefinitely suspended" on Tuesday, following multiple COVID-19 cases inside the bio-bubble.

"We decided to bring Hussey and Balaji to Chennai by an air ambulance as we have better contacts here and wanted to ensure better medical facilities in case of any need," the CSK official told PTI.

He further said the duo was "asymptomatic and doing fine."

The CSK official said Hussey would have to wait for a COVID-19 negative report to be able to leave the country.

"Hussey has to wait and get a COVID negative report before he can leave India. We will make arrangements for a charter when it is safe for him to fly," the official added.

While Hussey will have to wait, rest of the Australians participating in the IPL on Thursday left for Maldives to serve out the waiting period before they can board a flight to Australia.

The CSK official said the franchise made arrangements for the foreign players of the team to leave by charter planes.

The official also informed that CSK skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni would leave for his hometown Ranchi once all his team members head for their respective bases.

The 2021 edition of the IPL was suspended after four players -- Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman Wriddhiman Saha, Delhi Capitals spinner Amit Mishra and Kolkata Knigt Riders' Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier -- tested positive for COVID-19 in the bio-bubble.