India Tour of Sri Lanka – India vs Sri Lanka ODI: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) are anxiously waiting for updates on COVID-19 results after the first team’s performance analyst GT Niroshan tested positive following batting coach Grant Flower’s positive test. With the entire first-team quarantined and the series against India postponed by four days (due to start on July 17 instead of July 13), SLC secretary Mohan de Silva said the board could be forced to field an alternate team if any more positive cases emerge.
As per Sri Lanka’s Daily FT, SLC Secretary Mohan de Silva said that “in the event that there are more positive cases leading up to the first ODI on 17 July, they were preparing to field an alternate team from the squads that are practising in Dambulla and in Colombo and are in a bio-bubble.”
India Tour of Sri Lanka: SLC Secretary declares, ‘anymore positive test will lead us to field an alternate team against India’
India Tour of Sri Lanka – India vs Sri Lanka ODI: The idea is not far-fetched as the SLC has already placed two different teams in bio-bubble. Apart from the first team in quarantine, another set of players are training in bio-bubble in Dambulla while the others are in Colombo. Hence, if more players test positive, they could field an entirely new team like the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has done against Pakistan.
“All players of the team have tested negative, but we are mindful of the fact that the team’s batting coach & data analyst tested positive and for that reason, we are likely to reschedule the series”, confirmed Sri Lanka Cricket Secretary Mohana De Silva to InsideSport on Friday.
India Tour of Sri Lanka: However, as per Sri Lanka’s medical staff, it is still too early to say if the first team players need to be put in extended quarantine. Earlier, the plan was to keep the players in quarantine for three days. But after two positive cases in the camp, now the period has been extended by two more days and it could be further stretched if there are further cases.
India Tour of Sri Lanka: A new-look Sri Lanka team could play against India
- As per the local norms, 14 days quarantine is necessary before being cleared to move freely
- As Sri Lanka team was in a BIO-BUBBLE, authorities decided to reduce the quarantine period to 7
- First 3 days of Quarantine, they are completely locked in their rooms
- Next 4 days, they will be allowed to use the hotel Gym & Pool
- The players can participate in any kind of outdoor activity only after completion of 7 days quarantine
- The quarantine period for the Sri Lankan team will end on 12th July
- Hence, the series was postponed by four days
- But if further positive cases emerge, quarantine period could extend even further
The situation has forced the SLC to be on war-footing, carrying out PCR tests on all national team players, coaches and other support staff to ensure their safety. However, as per results on Thursday, all players who returned from England have tested negative. It was after the ECB was forced to isolate the entire squad as a total of 7 members who faced Sri Lanka tested positive. The ripple effects have already been felt halfway across the world in Sri Lanka.
Also Read in Hindi:
“We can’t help the situation. These are the kind of times we are living in, team will have to follow all health protocols as directed by the authorities. Yes it is correct the players who will be selected from the squad who were in England is unlikely to get a net session before the 1st game if the series starts on 13th July”, declared Pramodya Wickramasinghe, Selector of Sri Lanka Cricket.
