The England and Wales Cricket Board is in talks with the International Cricket Council (ICC) about allowing coronavirus player substitutions in its upcoming planned Test series against West Indies and Pakistan, an ECB official said.

ECB director of events Steve Elworthy was quoted in British media on Friday saying he hoped an agreement would be reached in time for those Test matches, which the ECB plans to hold in “bio-secure” venues in July.

The ICC currently only allows a player to be replaced during a match because of concussion. Under the proposed change, a late substitution would also be allowed on coronavirus grounds. Media reports did not specify how the procedure would work, including whether it would involve testing players.