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Team India might remain in bio-bubble for six months between July-November.

For the second year in succession, the Indian cricket team might have to spend half a year in respective bio-bubbles to complete their national and Indian Premier League commitments. After about a week of speculation, it was confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India at the Special General Meeting (SGM) earlier on Saturday, May 29, that the remaining 31 games of the 14th season of IPL will resume in the September-October window after the completion of India’s Test series against England. 

The Indian Test squad which will feature in the upcoming World Test Championship final against New Zealand and the five-match Test series against England are already quarantining themselves in Mumbai and will leave for England on June 2. They will undergo hard quarantine for three days before starting to practise under strict bio-bubble protocols. 

The Test series in England will kick off from August 4 with the final Test slated to commence from September 10. With several reports stating that IPL to resume on 19th September, the Indian players who will be in England will have to shift bubbles to play in the UAE. 

Meanwhile, a limited-overs squad will be visiting Sri Lanka for a six-match limited over series in July. With the UAE leg of IPL slated to begin in September, the limited-overs players might get a few days off before joining the rest of the group in UAE. Meanwhile, Jay Shah confirmed that UAE will be the destination citing the monsoon season in India in September-October. 

"The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced to complete the remaining matches of VIVO Indian Premier League 2021 season in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) considering the monsoon season in India in the months of September-October this year,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah had said in the meeting. 

 

“The decision was taken at a Special General Meeting (SGM) held virtually, where members unanimously agreed to resume IPL. The BCCI SGM further authorised the Office Bearers to seek an extension of time from the ICC to take an appropriate call on the hosting of ICC T20 World Cup 2021,” he added. 

 

If the IPL ends by 10th October, the players will get just a week’s time before the T20 World Cup. The venue hasn’t been finalised yet but the BCCI has requested ICC to give them some more time before a final decision is made. Originally, ICC was supposed to take a decision on June 1, in their own meeting.

 

With the COVID cases in India on the decline, it remains to be seen whether ICC gives the green signal to India to host the tournament especially given a third wave warning doing the rounds. It effectively means that the whole Indian contingent will be under strict bio-bubble protocols for six months between July-November. 

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WTC Final: India to arrive in UK on June 3 via charter flight

India and New Zealand will lock horns with each other in the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship slated to begin on June 18 in Southampton and will be played in a bio-secure environment. In a statement from the International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body has stated that the match has been given an exemption by the UK government as outlined in The Health Protection. As per the protocols, the members of the team would carry a negative RT-PCR report and had been in a bio-secure environment in India for 14 days before their arrival on June 3 in the UK. “The Indian Men’s team will arrive in the UK on 3 June 2021 via a charter flight and carrying evidence of a negative PCR Test. Prior to travelling, the party will have spent 14 days in a bio-secure environment in India during which regular testing will have taken place,” the statement said. “Upon landing, they will proceed directly to the on-site hotel at the Hampshire Bowl where they will be tested again before commencing a period of managed isolation,” it added. The players will be tested regularly during their time in isolation in the UK and their activities will only be allowed gradually. “Regular tests will be conducted during the period of isolation. Players’ activity will be allowed in a gradually increasing manner after each round of negative testing, moving from exercise in isolation to small group and then larger squad activity, whilst always remaining within the bio-secure venue,” the statement read. The New Zealand side has already reached England and they will be up against the English side for a two-match Test series slated to begin on June 2. India will also take on England in a five-match Test series after the conclusion of the WTC final.