IND vs ENG 2021: Suryakumar Yadav, Prithvi Shaw to fly to the UK from Colombo on Saturday - Reports

Team India batsmen Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw will fly to the UK from Colombo on Saturday, July 31, for India's five-match Test series in England.

The BCCI, earlier this week, had confirmed both Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw as replacements for injured players in the Test squad that is already in England. However, confusion arose over their availability after both were identified as close contacts of COVID-19-positive Krunal Pandya in Sri Lanka, and were subsequently placed in isolation.

According to a report in Cricbuzz, Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw’s entry to England has been allowed as part of a specially-created rule for sportspersons by the UK Government. Sri Lanka is a Red List nation under the UK government's travel advisory.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have made use of this special provision, which'll allow Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw to land in the UK.

An ECB official was quoted as telling Cricbuzz over the development:

"The UK Government created Elite player exemption earlier this summer to help the Indian touring party travel in the first place. The same rule was used for other sports like football and tennis for the Euros and Wimbledon. And now that is being used for the two new players."

Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw likely to be available from the 3rd Test against England. (Reported by Cricbuzz).

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 30, 2021

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Ten-day quarantine for Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw in England

While the Indian batting duo has been granted special permission to travel to the UK, there has been no relaxation in the isolation rules. Both Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav will have to undergo the mandatory-10 day quarantine upon landing in the UK.

Due to the isolation period, Yadav and Shaw are set to miss the first two Tests in England. While the India-England Test series will begin in Nottingham on August 4, the second Test will be at Lord’s on August 12. The quarantine of the two players is likely to end by then. However, Team India’s think-tank is not expected to push the duo directly into a Test match.

Having spent two weeks in Durham, Team India will reach Nottingham on Saturday to prepare for the first Test. India played a three-day practice match against a County XI during their stay in Durham.

Meanwhile, Team India’s limited-overs squad, led by Shikhar Dhawan, returned home from Sri Lanka on Friday. However, Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal and K Gowtham (all of whom tested positive for COVID-19) stayed back in Sri Lanka along with Yadav and Shaw.