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XtraTime Web Desk: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday decided to issue a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for state associations which will bar 60-plus individuals from taking part in the training camp and other activities. This decision by the Board will leave a huge question on the future of Arun Lal and Australian Dav Whatmore, who are coaches of Bengal and Baroda respectively.

Whatmore, 66, was appointed in April while Lal, 65, guided Bengal to the Ranji Tropohy final in March.

"Individuals who are over the age of 60 years, viz support staff, umpires, ground staff and those indviduals with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, weakened immunity, should be considered vulnerable and are believed to have higher risk of severe COVID-19," read one of the guidelines from BCCI''s 100-page SOP, which is in possession of PTI.

"All such individuals should be discouraged from participating in camp activities unless suitable guidelines are issued by the government," it stated.

Both Lal and Whatmore won''t be able to join the pre-season training camp.
CAB president Avishek Dalmiya was unavailable for a comment but a senior BCCI official said, "This is SOP. It will be very difficult for any teams to breach the protocols. It is unfortunate that someone like Lal ji or Whatmore might have to miss out," the official said.