Experienced Tamil Nadu player Murali Vijay won’t play in the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after he refused to take the Covid-19 vaccine. Moreover, he does not want to go through the bubble life as well. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released the standard operating procedures. And, according to that, all the state associations have to implement all the rules as well.
The BCCI SOPs have made it mandatory for every player that he should have to undergo the bubble for a week before the tournament starts and the player should have to stay in the bubble as long as he has been featuring in the tournament. And, Murali Vijay wasn’t too keen to follow all these rules, Moreover, he has not been considered for selection by Tamil Nadu also.
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“It is his personal decision. He is hesitant to take the vaccine. The BCCI SOPs say that a player needs to be inside the bubble for a week before a tournament starts and then as long as he is with the team. But Vijay is not too keen on it. So the Tamil Nadu selectors haven’t considered him for selection,” said a source.
The source again added that the Tamil Nadu selectors didn’t even take Murali Vijay’s name for the tournament once. He also revealed that Vijay might not have been selected in the playing XI to the Tamil Nadu squad even if he had taken the COVID-19 vaccine as well. Even, as per the source, he will have to prove his fitness to be added in the team as well.
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“The selectors have not even discussed about him in the selection meeting and he didn’t even make it to the Tamil Nadu list of probables picked before the domestic season. So even if he is ready to take the vaccine and wants to make a comeback, it will be a long road for him because he won’t be picked immediately. He has to prove his fitness and needs to have a few matches under his belt to be selected for Tamil Nadu again,” concluded the source.
