BCCI aim to create a bubble in India before the team’s departure to England

After making all the necessary safety arrangements for the foreign players to return back home, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is devising a strategy for Team India's departure to England. The Virat Kohli-led side will embark on a four-month tour to England for the ICC World Test Championship and five-match Test series. 

As per a report in the Times of India, the board will negotiate a two-week hard quarantine upon landing in England. According to a few sources, BCCI is likely to set up a bubble in India before the departure. 

“The idea is to get the players to quarantine in India itself. The team anyway is likely to travel in charter flight since there are travel restrictions in the UK," a BCCI source was quoted as saying to TOI. 

It has been learned that players are ready to enter the bubble in India to avoid a lengthy quarantine in the United Kingdom. When India toured Australia last year, the Australian government had relaxed the rules for the players to train inside the bio-bubble. With the UK government classifying India under the ‘red list’ category, it remains to be seen if the UK government will take the same path as Australia.

The World Test Championship Final between India and New Zealand gets underway on June 18 in Southampton. The Indian selection committee led by Chethan Sharma is expected to pick a jumbo squad of over 25 players today. The women’s squad will also be picked. It is also understood that both teams will travel together.  

“There are a lot of players who have been in bubbles and quarantines for eight-nine months now. It is likely to take a toll on them mentally. They are fine with getting into a bubble early in India and then the BCCI may offer a bubble-to-bubble movement scenario. But the negotiation will be tougher this time since the team will be leaving from India unlike from Dubai when they toured Australia," the source added.

[TOI input]