The ECB has accepted BCCI’s request to allow its players a soft quarantine of 3 days in order to get more practice before the WTC final.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has reportedly agreed to the request made by the BCCI to cut down the quarantine period for Indian players upon arrival in the United Kingdom. Indian team is expected to land in the UK on June 2 after undergoing seven-day isolation in Mumbai.
After landing in the UK, Indian players were earlier required to go through a 10-day quarantine. In recent development, InsideSports has reported that the ECB has agreed to slash the quarantine period to just three days.
The BCCI had earlier made the request to reduce the days in isolation so that Indian players can start practice as early as possible and get accustomed to the English conditions. Now that the request has been granted, Team India can start their training from the fourth day itself.
India’s opposition, New Zealand, are already in the UK and are set to play a two-match Test series against England before the WTC final. Kane Williamson’s men will have more than enough time to get in the groove before they face India.
The Virat Kohli-led team India will be facing New Zealand in the World Test Championship final on June 18 at Southampton. Team India will then take on England in a five-match Test series starting from August 4. The series will kickstart at the Trent Bridge before moving to the Lord’s for the second Test. The last three Tests are scheduled to be played at Headingley, Kennington Oval and Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, the BCCI is looking for a window to complete the Indian Premier League 2021 edition in England. The BCCI has reportedly requested the ECB to tweak the schedule of the Test series, including a suggestion to cut down the Test series to four matches. However, the ECB has denied the reports of any such approach from the Indian board.
“We talk to the BCCI on a regular basis about a wide range of issues especially as we address the challenges of COVID-19 but have had no official request to change dates and are continuing to plan for the five Test series as scheduled,”
an ECB spokesperson was quoted as per PTI.
4000 spectators could be allowed for the WTC Final
The WTC final between India and New Zealand is most likely to be staged with 4000 spectators at the venue. The Hampshire County Club head Rod Bransgrove revealed the news about fans being back for the cricket matches. On May 19, for a County Championship match between Hampshire and Leicestershire, 1500 live spectators were present at Southampton.
“We’re staging a four-day county game from today and for the first time since September 2019 fans were allowed for a cricket match in England. The other county games of this round will begin tomorrow and those games too will see crowds,”
he confirmed.
“I understand 50 percent of the permitted crowds will be taken by the ICC for its sponsors and other stakeholders and we will be selling the rest 2000 tickets.
We have already received more than double applications from the fans. It is a high-interest game and there is a good demand for it,”
Bransgrove added.
If everything goes well, the WTC final will be staged in front of a live crowd. The Test match against New Zealand will be India’s first-ever Test at a neutral venue in their history. However, with the live crowd allowed, India could get the feel of a home Test with plenty of Indian fans expected to be there at Southampton.
