An extended Indian contingent – featuring both men’s and the women’s cricket teams – reached Southampton on Thursday ahead of their respective multi-format series in England.
While the men’s team will play the final of the World Test Championship against New Zealand and also the five-Test series versus England, the women’s team will face their English rivals in three ODIs, three T20Is and a solitary outing.
Both the teams are now based at the Rose Bowl to complete the second phase of their pre-series isolation. They’ve also been exempted from the training process after three days of quarantine and can prepare for the on-field action judiciously.
The entire contingent had been in a bio-bubble in Mumbai and went through the first phase of their extended quarantine in India. The players have had to bear the extended seclusion since the UK government red-listed India, keeping in mind the dangerous second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The men’s team will be taking on the Kiwis in Southampton for the World Test Championship Trophy from June 18 to June 22, with a reserve day allocated for the final on 23rd in case overs are lost in the first five days of play.
Virat Kohli and company will remain in the UK through July and play intra-squad matches ahead of their five-Test series versus England, starting August 4 at Trent Bridge. Lord’s (August 12-16), Headingley (August 25-29), The Oval (September 2-6) and Manchester (September 10-14) will host the next four Tests, respectively.
The Indian women’s team will break their seven-year drought of a Test outing with a much-anticipated clash against England women from June 16 in Bristol. The three ODIs scheduled for the trip will be held on June 27, 30 and July 3, followed by the T20Is on July 9, 11 and 15, respectively.
