Indian players clear first COVID test, BCCI permits players’ families during the quarantine

The Indian players selected for the Test series against England cleared the first round of RT-PCR tests in Chennai on Thursday. The cricketers will now undergo two more rounds of testing before starting their training from February 2.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also allowed the players to be accompanied by their families during the hard quarantine phase.

The Indian contingent and the visiting England side are staying at the Leela Palace.

“The SOP is the same as the IPL bio-bubble during the hard quarantine period. We've had one RT-PCR test done already, and we would be doing two more before being cleared to train. Right now, the players will have to be confined to their rooms,” a senior BCCI official confirmed the news to PTI.

According to reports, the Indian players will do physical exercises inside their rooms under the supervision of the two strength and conditioning experts Nick Webb and Soham Desai.

Families can accompany Indian players in quarantine

In a positive move, the BCCI have allowed families of players to accompany them during the hard quarantine phase.

“The players have all come back after a gruelling tour. Hard quarantine can be extremely difficult and it would only help their well-being that wives and children are around which would help them remain in a good head space,” the source added.

The Indian vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, and Hardik Pandya have all been joined by their respective families.

The four-Test series starts in Chennai on February 5. The second Test of the series will also be played at the same venue.