Indian T20 League 2023- Players to isolate for seven days before Indian T20 League, no bio-bubble

Bangalore, Chennai (Image Credit: Twitter)

The sporting world has moved on from the threat of COVID-19 and allows players to play despite contracting the disease. However, the Indian Cricket Board has asked its players to take some precautions. Apparently, with only 12 days left at the start of the Indian T20 League 2023, the players have been asked to isolate for seven days before March 31. The guidelines issued by the board say that new variants are becoming a concern.

“While there has been a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in India we still have to be careful of the emerging strains which are becoming a concern at regular intervals,” the ITL’s medical guidelines, which were distributed to franchises this week, say as per ESPNCricinfo.

The guidelines also say that the positive-tested player must remain in the isolation. They shall remain in solitary for a maximum of seven days and won't be participating in any team events.

“Positive cases must be isolated for a maximum of seven days. Positive cases will not be allowed to participate in any match or any form of activity/event during the period of isolation.”

Players will be tested on Day Five of their isolation

The infected players will be tested again on Day Five of their isolation. If they are tested negative on the fifth and sixth day, they will be able to rejoin their teammates.

“From day five, they can undergo a RT-PCR, provided they must be must be asymptomatic without any medication for 24 hours. Once the first result is negative the 2nd test must be done 24 hours apart. Only after obtaining two negative RT-PCR tests 24 hours apart i.e. day five and day six, can they rejoin the group,” concluded the guidelines.

Notably, the players won't have to live in the bio-bubbles, which was the case during the last three seasons. For the first time since 2019, the league will be played sans the bio-bubble.