Team India is scheduled to play the World Test Championship final against New Zealand on June 18 in Southampton. The players might leave for England earlier than expected, as per reports of India Today.
Virat Kohli and co were expected to leave for the United Kingdom in the first week of June but they may travel in the last week of May amid travel restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier, the New Zealand and India players, who were part of the IPL 2021, were expected to fly together in a chartered plane from India to the UK after May 30. However, the IPL is suspended now after COVID-19 breached the bio-bubble of four franchises.
As reported by Sports Today, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is in talks with the UK government and the England and Wales Cricket Board for a hassle-free journey of India cricketers to the venue.
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The UK government has added India to its travel ban list, amid soaring COVID-19 cases in the country. Under the rule, anyone who is not a British or Irish national or has U.K. residence rights will be refused entry to Britain if they have been in India 10 days back from April 23.
Even British and Irish nationals and third-country nationals with residence rights in the UK arriving in England from India will be required to quarantine in a hotel.
BCCI will have to submit a list of the Indian entourage, which includes the players, support staff, and officials, for the World Test Championship final and the Test series against England. They will also have to announce the squad earlier than expected.
India and England are going to play a five-match Test series after the World Test Championship final, which will kick-off from August 4 in Nottingham.
BCCI and ECB will consult with the British government on the regulations during quarantine; whether the players will be allowed to practice during the 14-day mandatory quarantine period or not.
West Indies and Pakistan had trained during the quarantine period after returning negative reports in the mandatory COVID-19 tests upon their arrival in the UK.
The Indian players are likely to quarantine and undergo necessary tests in the country before boarding the flight to the UK.
Talking about the IPL 2021, as many as 8 England players reached London on Wednesday, while Australian players will have to go to the Maldives or Sri Lanka to wait for the travel ban to be lifted by the Australian government.
(With India Today Inputs)
