During the three-day quarantine, everyone in the bubble will be required to carry out in-room tests, with each test spaced 24 hours apart.
A three-day hotel room quarantine followed by a negative test on the fourth day will be mandatory before teams can enter the IPL bubble, according to the quarantine protocol distributed by IPL to franchises on Thursday.
During the three-day quarantine, everyone in the bubble will be required to carry out in-room tests, with each test spaced 24 hours apart. All participants will need to continue doing the daily test for the next three days (until day six). “After the three days (72 hours) of quarantine are over, the test will be performed on the fourth day and once the negative report is received, the participant may enter the bubble,” the IPL protocol document reads.
This rule, however, would not apply to anyone entering the IPL bubble from another bubble – Bilateral Series, Franchise Prep Camp, National Tournament, National Camp – as long as the participants are commuting on a charter flight or by the road. Several players are expected to join the IPL bubble directly after taking part in various bilateral series in March-April, including the Indian tour to Sri Lanka, the Australian tour to Pakistan, the English tour to the West Indies and the Bangladesh tour to South Africa.
In case participants exit from the previous bubble, then they should complete a three-day quarantine and clear the test on the fourth day before joining the IPL bubble. All participants in India will also be required to undergo twin tests within the previous 48 hours before entering quarantine. In the case of foreign participants, this would be two tests in the previous 72 hours.
“If the teams organize a camp before arriving in Mumbai, the same quarantine protocols will apply,” the document states. “While traveling to Mumbai, transfer from bubble to bubble is possible by charter flights or by road, so that the bubble is maintained at all times. On arrival, the test will be carried out in Mumbai and up to until results are released, participants will be quarantined in their respective rooms.If bubble-to-bubble transfer is not completed or pre-camp quarantine as above is not completed, upon arrival in Mumbai, all participants will be required to undergo quarantine as per protocols. There should be no contact at the airport.”
Nagraj Gollapudi is editor-in-chief of ESPNcricinfo
