India set to leave for England early ahead of World Test Championship Final – Reports
Follow Us
Indian Test team
The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has struck India hard and the country is in dire straits at the moment. With over 4 lakh cases in a day, there is a state of uncertainty and panic. Amidst this situation, the Indian Premier League (IPL) was conducted smoothly till it came to an abrupt end due to the virus breaching the teams’ bio-bubbles and infecting personnel including players.
With the suspension of the IPL done, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is focusing on getting all players back home safely. Once that is done, all focus will shift to the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) which is scheduled for June 18 to 22 in Southampton, England between India and New Zealand. The Black Caps will play a series in the same country in early June and hence, their players have already left for UK instead of their home.
Reports say India might be asked to leave early
According to reports in India Today, the Indian team could be asked by the BCCI to leave for the UK earlier than expected. Originally, the plan was to leave immediately after the IPL 2021 ended. But with the tournament postponed indefinitely, the BCCI wants to get players to the UK as soon as possible due to uncertainty over the situation in India as well as about what regulations and restrictions would come up in the future.
Talks are reportedly on already between the UK government and the England and Wales Cricket Board to ensure that the Indian players get to the UK. It is noteworthy that India was put on the travel ‘red list’ recently. However, the players will be allowed to travel provided they are quarantined upon arrival.
Now, the BCCI is likely to name a squad very soon and submit a list of players and personnel who would reach the UK for not only the WTC final, but also the five-match Test series which follows against England from August 4. It remains to be seen as to what decision the governments and boards come up with soon.
Also Read: IPL 2021: Aakash Chopra picks the top six innings of the tournament
Stay Updated!
Nevin Clinton
(2399 Articles Published)