Here's what BCCI has planned before the WTC bio-bubble

Virat Kohli

Photograph: Kind courtesy BCCI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a foolproof plan for the national team before they depart for the UK to play the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand and the five-match Test series against England.

Sources in the know of the roadmap drawn said arrangements have been made for all the players to undergo three RT-PCR tests before assembling in Mumbai on May 19.

"The players will be undergoing three RT-PCR tests at their homes, and once they return negative tests, they will be assembling in Mumbai on May 19. Everyone in the contingent will be undergoing 14-day quarantine in India before they leave for the UK on June 2," said the source.

Almost all the members of the Indian contingent set to depart for the UK have taken the first dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and they are likely to take the second jab in the UK itself.

Earlier, speaking about the vaccination of the players, a BCCI official had said: "The Indian government has opened vaccination for every person above 18 so the players can take their first dose. But the second dose is the question here and while the BCCI is looking at working closely with England and Wales Cricket Board to ensure players can get a second dose in the UK, if that is not approved by the UK government, we will have the vaccine taken from India for the second dose. Let's see how that works out in the coming days."

The BCCI named a 20-member squad (two subject to fitness clearance) which will also have four standby players. Of the four standby players, three are fast bowlers -- Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Arzan Nagwaswalla. Prasidh tested COVID-19 positive the day after the squad was announced but he is expected to be fit in time for the departure.

India's Squad: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul (subject to fitness clearance), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper; subject to fitness clearance).