India team to increase training gradually during isolation in England

London,  The Indian cricket team will be allowed gradual increase in activity during their period of isolation in Southampton ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Saturday.

The Indian team will depart from Mumbai on June 2 for a three-and-a-half-month tour of England that comprises the WTC final against New Zealand from June 18-22 as well as five Tests against England in August-September.

“Prior to travelling, the [the Indian tour] party will have spent 14 days in a bio-secure environment in India during which regular testing will have taken place. 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,” a statement from ICC said.

“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 added.

The New Zealand team, which is already in the UK ahead of their bilateral series against England which begins on June 2, will transition from the ECB bio-secure environment into the World Test Championship final bubble on June 15 and will be subjected to regular testing prior to and post arrival in Southampton, the ICC added.

The ICC also announced that the WTC final will proceed without hindrance since the event has been granted an exemption by the UK government.

“The event has now been granted an exemption by the UK government as outlined in The Health Protection [Coronavirus, International Travel and Operator Liability] [England] Regulations 2021, released on 17 May 2021,” the ICC statement added.

The Indians need to carry negative test reports from India on arrival in England.