England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is in talks with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over possible introduction of COVID-19 player substitutes during England's planned bio-secure Test series against West Indies and Pakistan this summer.

Steve Elworthy, ECB's director of events, was quoted in British media as saying that he hoped a mutual agreement will be arrived at in time for those fixtures. 

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The ICC currently allows players to be replaced only because of concussion. But if the proposal goes through, substitution will be allowed on grounds of Coronavirus as well. There is no clarity as yet on how the procedure would work or if it will include testing of players. 

"I know there are still some considerations from an ICC perspective about a Covid-19 replacement. That still needs to be agreed," Elworthy told British Media. 

"This is specifically for Test cricket, and we would hope that would be in place well before the Test series starts in July."

The ICC Cricket Committee has already recommended usage of saliva as a ball-applicator for cricket's bio-secure return. 

On Friday (May 29), Cricket West Indies (CWI) approved a three-Test series in England, which was originally scheduled to take place in June. 

The same day, the ECB announced a 55-man training group, which was told to resume training for cricket's probable resumption in July. 

(Inputs from Reuters)