IPL teams to start training from March 14 or 15, five practice venues identified

It is understood that the MCA ground in suburban Bandra Kurla Complex, MCA ground in Thane, the Dr DY Patil University ground and a football pitch along with the CCI (Cricket Club of India) and the Reliance Corporate Park ground in Ghansoli have been identified by the authorities as practice venues for the cash-rich tournament, which begins on March 26.

Players are likely to start coming into the city from March 8.

The Maharashtra government conducted a meeting with BCCI and Mumbai Cricket Association in South Mumbai for a smooth conduct of the IPL, which is now a 10-team affair.

Ministers of the state government — Aaditya Thackeray and Eknath Shinde — along with MCA chief Vijay Patil and apex council members Ajinkya Naik and Abhay Hadap were present at the meeting.

It is also understood that all the participants will have to undergo RT-PCR test 48 hours prior to their arrival in Mumbai.

While 10 plush hotels have been identified in Mumbai while two hotels have been zeroed in for Pune.

It is also learnt that the players will have to undergo 3-5 days of quarantine before entering their respective bubbles.

The league stage of the IPL will be conducted in Mumbai and Pune.

While the Wankhede Stadium and CCI (Brabourne stadium) will host 20 matches each, the DY Patil stadium and the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium at Gahunje in Pune will organise 15 games.