Andhra wicketkeeper-batsman Kona Srikar Bharat will be traveling to the UK with the Indian team as cover for Wriddhiman Saha who has just recovered from COVID-19. Bharat was added to the touring party as the selection committee did not want to take any chances with an eye on the COVID-19 protocols and guidelines.

Saha will be entering the bio-bubble in Mumbai after few days even though members of the Indian team began arriving in the city on Wednesday (May 19) to quarantine for a period of two weeks ahead of their flight for UK on June 2.

"He (Bharat) was added as cover for Saha considering he was still recovering from the virus and wicket-keeping is a specialised job. If Saha wasn't fit in time, we would have needed a second keeper in the squad for the tour which is a three-month long one," a source told ANI.

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All the players were asked to undergo three RT-PCR tests before assembling in Mumbai on Wednesday in charter planes. The Indian players will also be administered the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine by the UK health department during their stay.

India will take on New Zealand in the World Test Championship final from June 18 and then play a five-match Test series against England from August 4.

(With ANI inputs)