YORKSHIRE's pre-season training camp in Mumbai has been cut short because of the Coronavirus, with the squad flying back to England on Saturday.

The White Rose are the latest county to be forced into changes to their pre-season schedule, with the likes of Lancashire, Surrey, Somerset, Worcestershire and Hampshire all deciding against overseas travel ahead of next month’s start of the summer proper.

Now a global pandemic, Covid-19 has ravaged the world of sport, with English football, Formula One, golf and tennis amongst those who have put their schedules on hold.

England’s forthcoming two-Test match tour of Sri Lanka has been cancelled, with players returning home, including Yorkshire’s Joe Root.

The England and Wales Cricket Board are also making contingency plans in case the Coronavirus develops further prior to the start of the county season.

Yorkshire’s opening Specsavers County Championship game against Gloucestershire starts on Easter Sunday, April 12, at Emerald Headingley. They also face the students of Leeds/Bradford MCC Universities at Headingley in a three-day friendly, starting on April 2.

“It is difficult for us to be sure of what outcomes the game might be expected to deal with,” said an ECB statement.

“Therefore, we will continue to plan for the expectation that the season proceeds as normal, but in parallel prepare for a range of scenarios.

“These could include the possibility of playing matches behind closed doors, or potentially postponing or cancelling elements of the season.”

Andrew Gale and his players flew home from Mumbai on Saturday, where the full squad had been since the early hours of Thursday.

Fast bowlers Ben Coad, Matthew Fisher, Duanne Olivier and Matthew Waite, along with support staff duo Rich Pyrah and Kunwar Bansil, had been there since last Friday.

The squad were due to train and play a quartet of two-day and Twenty20 matches against local opposition up until March 23.

A Yorkshire statement read: “Having monitored the situation regarding the Covid-19 virus, the club has taken the decision to bring all players and staff back immediately. With England’s tour to Sri Lanka postponed, and the spread of the virus expected to continue, this was deemed as the only possible course of action.

“The health of the players, support staff and their families come first.

“The club will continue to monitor the situation surrounding the virus as plans for alternative preparations for the season are made.”

As of yet, Yorkshire’s Annual General Meeting at Headingley, scheduled for Saturday morning (March 21), has not been cancelled.