Reports | BCCI permit Bubble to Bubble transfer ahead of IPL 2021

In what comes as a major relief for all players who will be involved in the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the BCCI are reportedly said to have given the green signal to allow a bubble-to-bubble transfer of players. The 2021 edition of the IPL will commence on April 9, but, according to a Cricbuzz report, it is believed that the players currently a part of the India-England bubble will be allowed to join their respective franchises directly, without having the need to undergo quarantine or even clear extra RT-PCR Tests.

"Players coming directly from the Bubble created for the India vs. England series may be permitted to join the franchise squad without serving the mandatory quarantine period, provided they satisfy the criteria of moving directly to the franchise team hotel either in the team bus or on a chartered flight (sic)," the BCCI stated in a note, reported Cricbuzz.

"If chartered flights are used then all protocols for crew members must be followed. If the travel arrangements are to the satisfaction of the BCCI Chief Medical Officer then such players will directly enter the franchise team Bubble without the need to serve a quarantine period or undergo an RT-PCR test.”

Whilst it looks clear that those part of the India-England bubble will be allowed to join their respective franchises without any hassle, it still remains to be seen whether the same rule will apply for other bubbles, such as the South Africa-Pakistan one. That is yet to be confirmed by the BCCI, but a franchise official is said to have told Cricbuzz that players part of the SA-PAK bubble, too, will be allowed to enter the IPL bubble directly, granted they fly by Chartered Flights. As things stand, anyone who will not be doing a bubble-to-bubble transfer is expected to undergo seven days of mandatory quarantine before being allowed to enter the bubbles of their respective IPL franchises. 

In addition to this, Cricbuzz also reported that the BCCI, apart from appointing four Bubble Integriy managers for each franchise, will be issuing wrist-bands for players to wear, "at all times, including in the hotel premises." This is said to serve as a tracking device for players, as, in the case of an individual testing positive, it will aid in identifying close contacts.