Yuzvendra Chahal, the Royal Challengers Bangalore spinner, said on Friday that he was thinking of taking a break from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 before its suspension on May 4, following COVID-19 outbreak inside the bio-bubble.

The tournament was suspended after four players — Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman Wriddhiman Saha, Delhi Capitals spinner Amit Mishra, and Kolkata Knight Riders bowling pair Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier — tested positive for COVID-19 in the bio-bubble.

In an interview with Sports Tak, the 30-year-old Chahal said that he was not able to concentrate on his game after his parents tested positive for the virus.

“I was planning to take a break from the IPL when I heard the news of my parents getting infected. It was difficult to focus on the game while your parents were alone at home. They tested positive on May 3, and a couple of days later, the tournament got postponed,” he said.

Chahal’s mother has recovered from the infection, but his father’s condition deteriorated, and he was admitted to a hospital in Gurgaon.

“My father’s oxygen level dropped to 85-86, and we had to shift him to the hospital. He had returned home yesterday, but his results are still positive. However, the good thing is that his oxygen level is around 95-96, which is quite a sigh of relief for us. It will take him another 7-10 days to recover,” he said.

Meanwhile, the ICC is monitoring the COVID-19 situation in India for the eventual hosting of the postponed T20 World Cup this year.

Chahal is confident that India will be a top contender for the T20 World Cup, even if the tournament is shifted to the UAE.

“I firmly believe that we are the No 1 contenders to win the T20 World Cup later this year, even if it will move to UAE. The conditions are quite similar to India, and it will be a big boost for us,” said Chahal.