The ICC will consider allowing player substitutions for those players who manifest COVID-19 symptoms.
Last year, the ICC allowed Test substitutions for players who had suffered from a concussion. Now, the ICC has announced that they are considering to extend the scope of substitution measures to those players who develop COVID-19 symptoms in a match.
This may be executed in the upcoming matches between the West Indies and England. To date, the ECB continues to finalise some medical protocols which would need to be followed. After the said scenario has been approved, then tested players would have to be isolated while being tested. Should they test positive, then they would have to be removed from the rest of the game.
This scenario can make a huge impact on the game as it would be really significant, considering the world’s scenario. In fact, there lies the possibility that several players may develop symptoms all at the same time. Should that happen, all those who happened to be nearby those players who had shown symptoms would also have to be removed from the game.
As per ECB’s director of special projects Steve Elworthy, ‘COVID-replacements are certainly something that the ICC are discussing. I have seen communication about that and it's certainly something we hope would be allowed - specifically for Test matches, not necessarily ODIs or T20s’.
‘With the testing protocols of getting those players into that (bio-secure) bubble first, you would hope that wouldn't be a scenario we'd have to deal with. But clearly it is something we are planning for’, he added.
The West Indies tour of England will be held behind closed doors on July 8 at the Ageas Bowl. Three Test matches will make up the said tour to showcase the skills of both teams. To learn more about Test matches, visit Betwala.
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