New Delhi: The BCCI is forming a COVID-19 task force and it will include, among others, former captain and National Cricket Academy (NCA) chief Rahul Dravid. This information was given by the BCCI in its SOP to state associations that was sent Monday.
Players will have to sign a consent form before resuming training at their respective centres. The standard operating procedure, bars anyone above 60 years of age and individuals with underlying medical conditions from being part of the camp.
For resumption of training at the NCA in Bangalore, the COVID-19 task force will include Dravid, a medical and a hygiene officer and BCCI AGM, Cricket Operations.
Their responsibilities will include communicating ‘clearly and regularly with the players, explaining measures being taken to manage risk, and the advice being given to individuals to follow the same and update of COVID19 cases to relevant higher management’.
Like the players at their respective state centres, cricketers at the NCA too will have to sign a consent form before resuming training.
“All the players and staff including administrative staff of NCA shall be tested for COVID-19 (RT-PCR test) to detect the possibility of COVID-19 infection before the resumption of training,” the SOP states.
“Prior to the commencement of National Cricket Academy, the players shall submit a written undertaking to abide by all the protocols prescribed in this SOP and various Government orders issued from time to time in the context of COVID-19 prevention,” the SOP added.
According to its 100-page-long SOP, the players will have to sign the form acknowledging the risks involved with resumption of training amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Support staff, officials and ground staff over 60 years of age and with individuals with underlying medical conditions are barred from attending training camps until ‘suitable guidelines are issued by the Government’. It means that former India cricketer Arun Lal who coached the Bengal team that reached the Ranji Trophy final last season will not be able to be a part of the team. Lal termed the new SOP as ‘ridiculous’. “How can fit 59-year-old man turn unfit when 60,” asked Lal.