After Washington Sundar injury, BCCI in a fix over sending backups | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Indian cricket board (BCCI) has got into a huddle trying to decide if backup players are needed to be urgently sent to England for the five-Test series starting August 4.
On Thursday, it emerged that spin bowling allrounder Washington Sundar will also be returning after Shubman Gill and Avesh Khan were ruled out of the tour. Washington is currently nursing a chronic finger injury which was aggravated by a Mohammad Siraj delivery while he was batting for County XI on Wednesday.

BCCI had sent 24 players for the tour of England which also included the WTC final last month. The squad is now down to 21 players. The Indian team management had asked for a cover for Gill which was turned down by the selectors and BCCI.
While the board is not fretting over the situation, it is working on options to be flown over to England. “We will see if replacements are needed to be sent to England immediately,” a senior BCCI official told TOI on Thursday. The team management in England is apprehensive of players testing Covid positive during the tour.
“There are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. Travel restrictions is one such thing. If players are indeed sent then it will be from the batch that is in Sri Lanka at the moment. Sri Lanka is also on the ‘Red List’ for the UK government. The board is figuring out logistical challenges before taking a call. Bubble-to-bubble transfer isn’t possible. Selectors will decide how many players are needed to be sent if need arises. If Sri Lanka is moved to the ‘Amber List next week, then things will get easier,” the official added.
It will be interesting to see if the selectors decide to send Bhuvneshwar Kumar. TOI understands that the board is discussing his Test future with the swing bowler.