The
England
and
India
players
were
supposed
to
fly
into
UAE
from
Manchester
together
in
a
bubble
to
bubble
transfer
but
COVID-19
cases
in
the
visitors’ camp
forced
IPL
teams
to
make
their
own
arrangements.

The
fifth
Test
between
India
and
England
was
also
postponed
indefinitely
after
a
junior
physio
Yogesh
Parmar
tested
positive
for
the
virus
ahead
of
the
game.
Other
members
of
India’s
support
staff,
including
head
Ravi
Shastri,
were
already
in
quarantine
after
they
tested
positive
for
the
virus
during
the
fourth
Test
at
the
Oval.

All
players
arriving
in
Dubai
now
have
to
do
a
six-day
quarantine
and
that
could
be
the
reason
behind
Bairstow
and
Malan
pulling
out.
A
BCCI
official
told
PTI
that
Bairstow
and
Malan
the
players
won’t
be
part
of
the
IPL
resuming
September
19.
The
Guardian
reported
on
Woakes’
unavailability.

“They
won’t
be
boarding
the
flight
to
UAE.
One
of
the
reasons
for
their
pull
out
is
the
six-day
quarantine
which
they
didn’t
need
to
do
earlier,”
said
the
official.

While
Bairstow
is
a
regular
in
the
Sunrisers
line-up,
world
number
one
T20
batsman
Malan
made
his
IPL
debut
with
Kings
earlier
this
year.
Aiden
Markram
has
been
named
his
replacement.
“Malan
will
be
taking
some
time
off
to
be
with
his
family
ahead
of
the
#T20WorldCup
and
Ashes,”
tweeted
Punjab
Kings.

Bairstow
had
made
248
runs
at
strike
rate
of
141
plus
in
seven
games
earlier
this
season.
Bairstow,
Woakes
and
Malan
were
part
of
England’s
Test
squad
in
Manchester.
Bubble
life
has
taken
a
toll
on
players
and
with
the
T20
World
Cup
to
follow
in
UAE,
not
playing
the
IPL
would
allow
more
family
time
to
Bairstow,
Woakes
and
Malan.

All
three
are
also
part
of
England’s
Ashes
plans
but
the
tour
Down
Under
is
also
currently
in
doubt
with
Australia
imposing
some
of
the
harshest
restrictions
in
the
world
on
incoming
travellers
in
the
COVID
times.
PTI
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KHS
KHS