BCCI is going to follow strict guidelines for the Indian team that is set to travel to the UK on June 2 for the World Test Championship final against NZ and the test series against England. The Indian team will have to undergo quarantine before boarding the flight for England.
As per the Indian Express, Indian team physio Yogesh Parmar has advised the players to try and keep themselves isolated until they reach Mumbai. BCCI has informed these players that in case any of them test positive upon their arrival at Mumbai, they will not be part of the tour anymore.
“The players have been informed to consider their tour over if they are found positive on their arrival in Mumbai as BCCI will not arrange another charter flight for any cricketer,” a source in the board told Indian Express.
The entire travelling contingent including players’ family members will undergo RT-PCR Tests on the first day after checking in at their hotel in Mumbai. With the contingent coming from all parts of the country, BCCI wants a secure bio-bubble in place before flying out to England.
They will all need two negative reports, even before they leave for Mumbai so that the board can ensure that they are coming into the bubble without any infection. The players have also been given the option to travel by air or car to reach Mumbai.
This has been done as a precautionary measure keeping in mind the second wave of the pandemic wreaking havoc in the country. The board has also asked the team members to take the first jab of the Covishield vaccine in India and the second dose will be arranged by the BCCI in England. BCCI has even asked players to get in touch if they don’t have access to the covishield vaccine, and the Board will arrange it for them.
Apart from these guidelines, there seems to be a disagreement about the quarantine. BCCI wants 14 days’ quarantine in India and another ten days in England before the team plays the WTC final. The players reportedly don’t want a hard quarantine and want some relaxation while being in isolation in India.