"Players are fed up with biosecurity and bubbles"- ECB chief Tom Harrison
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive Tom Harrison has made it clear that the governing body will continue to give freedom to its players in terms of bio-bubble protocols despite the rise in COVID-19 cases inside the team camps. Harrison stated that players are fed up with biosecurity and bubbles.
Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant recently tested positive for the virus and is currently in isolation. A few days earlier, seven members from the England team tested positive for COVID-19 before the start of the ODI series against Pakistan.
The ECB has eased out certain protocols, with players now being allowed to mingle with each other at the team hotel. Despite recent cases emerging inside the teams' bio-bubbles, Tom Harrison asserted that the ECB will continue to give players freedom, adding that infections are inevitable.
Speaking at a media briefing for The Hundred, Tom Harrison stated:
"We don't want to be closeting people in a place where they feel their only role in life is to go out and play bat and ball. Players are fed up with biosecurity and bubbles. Biosecurity has had such a detrimental impact on mental health for players and we are not able to continue operating that type of environment going forward. We need to mitigate the impact of, frankly, inevitable infections."
Along with Pant, Dayanand Garani, who is an assistant/net bowler, also tested positive of COVID-19 from the Indian camp.
"Isn't impossible to operate within current guidelines and have a successful environment" - ECB chief
The ECB chief threw his weight behind the current bio-bubble norms and assured the governing body has it in them to conduct cricketing events successfully. The inaugural edition of The Hundred starts on July 21 and the ECB still hopes that England's Test cricketers, who will be part of the upcoming five-match series against India, will be able to play in the tournament.
The ECB chief said:
"It isn't impossible to operate within current guidelines and have a successful environment. We want people to feel good about going out to play. We want people to think their life is delivering for them on and off the field."
The first Test between India and England starts on August 4. Prior to that, Team India will play a practice game against County Championship XI, starting on 20 July.
England, on the other hand, will play a three-match T20I series against Pakistan, having recently trounced the Asian outfit 3-0 in the ODIs.