New Delhi: It has been learnt that the players would reach Chennai in batches — from different cities — and enter the bio-bubble from January 27. They will undergo a week-long quarantine during which the Indian team management will devise its strategy for the series.
The England team will also enter the bio-bubble from January 27 when they arrive after completing the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle that ends on January 26.
However, players coming to India from England, like all-rounder Ben Stokes, pace bowler Jofra Archer and opener Rory Burns, will arrive a bit earlier as they will land straight from England. The trio is not part of the England team that is currently touring Sri Lanka for the Tests.
Both teams will be stationed at the Leela Palace in Chennai along with match officials.
Indian squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant and Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keepers), R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul ThakurNet bowlers: Ankit Rajpoot, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Warrier, Krishnappa Gowtham, Saurabh Kumar
Standbys: KS Bharat, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shahbaz Nadeem, Rahul Chahar, Priyank Panchal