Kasi Viswanathan, the Chennai Super Kings CEO, has quashed reports suggesting KM Asif, the pacer, became the first player to breach the bio-secure bubble put in place for IPL 2020.

A report from the Indian Express claimed that the CSK quick breached the  bubble at their hotel in Dubai to get a spare key for his room. The franchise’s CEO, however, has rejected the claims, saying Asif only went to the designated area for players and staff, and didn’t break the bubble.

“I don’t know if facts have been checked because while there is a reception in the lobby, the staff attending to the CSK unit is different,” Viswanathan told ANI. “Asif obviously would not go and speak to the general staff. The boys know that there is a dedicated team working with the players.

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“The fact he lost the key and went and asked for a replacement is true. But he didn’t go to the regular staff working and went to the designated desk. The matter has been blown out of proportion and facts need to be kept in mind.

“We all know the gravity of the situation and how the coronavirus is deadly. In fact, I myself have not entered the floors where the players and support staff are staying. Their bubble is different from the bubble created for the officials.

“We are taking as many precautions as humanly possible. The players have undergone 14 tests so far and Asif too has been part of them and he is negative. Now, we cannot ask every staff member in the hotel to be a part of the bubble, but let me inform you that they are all being regularly tested.”

Suresh Raina has flown back to India for personal reasons and will miss the #IPL2020, CSK have confirmed.

How big a miss will he be for the franchise? pic.twitter.com/HpjCXOj2tg

— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) August 29, 2020

The CSK camp has had its fair share of problems since arriving in the UAE. As many as 13 members of their contingent tested positive for Covid-19, which forced an extension of their quarantine period, and delayed the start of their training sessions.

Subsequently, Suresh Raina pulled out of the tournament for personal reasons and Harbhajan Singh followed suit. CSK are currently at the bottom of the IPL points table, with just one win in three matches so far.