Cricket, COVID, and The Unnatural Long England Indian Team Tour
Published - 12 Jun 2021, 12:50 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 03:56 PM
This year, the World Test Championship is set to see Virat Kohli and his Indian cricket counterparts stay in England for three and a half months in a bio bubble because of the five-test series. But why is this just as exciting as pushing your gambling luck on AllCasinos.in?
The tour’s expected length has not been seen since 1959 when India visited England to play in the five Test series. Back in 1959, the tour took 136 days, during which time the Indian team participated in 28 tour games in addition to the five tests.
Currently, the Indian cricket team plans to be in England for 104 days. The biggest reason why the Indian team requires to have this lengthy stay in England is the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
The COVID Measures In The UK
According to the latest United Kingdom COVID advisory, a person in a region on the red list within ten days of visiting the UK will only be allowed in the UK if they have residency or British and Irish National rights in the UK.
Nonetheless, the individual is required to take a ten full-day quarantine period in a hotel that is quarantine managed, during which time two COVID-19 tests are to be taken on the second and the eighth day of quarantine.
India is regarded as a red list, but the Indian cricket team was granted permission to participate in the tour as long as every participant follows the guidelines provided above. Following these measures and UK government regulations, this is how the team plans to manage their time in England:
The Indian Cricket Team Tour Plan
The Indian Team arrived in England on 3rd June, which means they are currently observing the quarantine guidelines. Three days are set apart for hard quarantine where the team is not allowed to visit places like the gym.
Additionally, training will only commence once the quarantine period ends. The first final against New Zealand is set to happen between June 18th and 22nd in Southampton. The reserve day will be on the 23rd of June, after which the Indian team will take a 42 day gap period until the first test against England starts on 4th August in Nottingham.
The last test in Manchester is expected to be on the 14th of September, hence, making up the 104 tour days. If India chose to go back home after the final, traveling back to England and practicing quarantine measures a second time would complicate the tour.
Besides, since the entire cricket is being played in a bio-bubble, safety measures have been amply staged. The decision was made after several options were considered for the finals, and Rose Bowl in Southampton was considered the safest location for minimizing the potential impact of COVID-19.
Therefore, the actions to make the bio-bubble almost foolproof will be repeated during the five test series after the 42 day gap period. However, the Indian team is expected to engage in a few tour games during the gap period and before the first test.
Will The Period Have Any Mental Health Effects?
Captain Virat Kohli and his head coach Ravi Shastri plan to make mental health for each player crucial during the entire tour. Motivating players for a long time in the current structure has proven to be difficult, said Virat. As a result, mental health is a significant part of the entire tour process to combat any adverse effects of surviving in the planned game structure.
Conclusion
It is yet to be decided whether the Indian cricket team will be allowed to go outside their hotel during the gap period. However, one cannot deny that the 104 tour days will be an exciting venture for the Indian cricket team and England.
