BCCI secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that there would be no bio-bubble for players during the upcoming five-match T20I series between India and South Africa. The Men in Blue will host the Proteas for the series next month.
The series will get underway on June 9 in Delhi and will conclude with the fifth and final game on June 19 in Bengaluru. The latest decision regarding the bio-bubble will be a huge relief for the players who have been staying in the bio-bubbles for cricket assignments since the pandemic struck in 2020.
In recent months, several players have spoken about the ill-effects of staying in the bio-bubbles. Players have made it clear that staying in such a setup has affected them mentally. In recent times, several players have pulled out of series and tournaments due to mental fatigue.
Confirming the decision regarding the bio-bubble, Shah also stated that there would be a mandatory Covid test for players. He also admitted that staying in bio-bubbles is tough for players while also pointing out that the board has taken several steps to ensure the welfare of the players.
“If I am not wrong the bio-bubble for IPL 2022 was the last. For Ind-SA series onwards, players would be tested (for Covid), but will not be any bio-bubble,” Shah told The Times of India.
“Yes, it is tough for players. However, they have a family-like atmosphere inside the hotel bio-bubble. In case of IPL, we had hotels dedicated for each team. The while tournament was held at one place. All the teams had their lounges, recreational centres. So, they also enjoyed it,” he added further.
Meanwhile, India have already announced their squad for the upcoming series against South Africa. The selectors have rested skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah for the series. In absence of Rohit, KL Rahul has been named as the stand-in captain while Rishabh Pant has been appointed as the vice-captain.