Team India to stay in managed isolation before World Test Championship: ICC

The Indian cricket team is going to stay in managed isolation before the World Test Championship final against New Zealand. The International Cricket Board recently announced the isolation but did not mention the exact period of hard quarantine upon reaching the UK. India and New Zealand will face each other at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton from June 18-22. New Zealand are already in England for a bilateral series against the hosts. On the other hand, the Indian cricket team will arrive in the UK on June 3. They will complete a 14-day mandatory quarantine period in India.

The ICC release doesn't specify the duration of strict quarantine in Southampton. However, for the New Zealand cricket team, ECB has made it a three-day mandatory room quarantine before allowing the cricketers to train. Regular test matches are going to be conducted during the period of isolation. Talking about the Indian team, they will enter England after completing their 14-days in a bio-bubble in Mumbai. This also includes six RT-PCR negative tests.

New Zealand to move into the World Test Championship Final bubble on June 15

Some Indian players like Ashwin, Mayank Agarwal, Washington Sundar are allowed to use the hotel gymnasium from May 25 as they have completed their week-long room quarantine and three negative tests. On the contrary, players like Virat Kohli, his white-ball deputy Rohit Sharma will have a complete room quarantine before boarding the UK flight as they joined the team late. All these players who have joined late will be provided with gym equipment inside their rooms. In the UK, players' activity is going to be allowed in a gradually increasing manner after each round of negative testing. This includes moving from exercise in isolation to small group and then more significant group activities. However, both the teams will always remain within the bio-secure venue.

The NZ team is going to move from the ECB bio-secure environment into the WTC Final bubble on June 15. Thus, it will be based on regular testing before and post-arrival in Southampton. Both the Indian men's and women's teams will fly to the UK together for their respective England tours. The women's team will play in one Test, three ODIs and as many T20Is in England.

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