India tour of England – Two Indian Cricketers Tests Positive: BCCI & Virat Kohli’s team India in England is in lurch. Two of the Indian cricket team players currently on break have tested positive for Covid-19 and both the BCCI and host England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are now a worried lot. BCCI has passed message to the Indian team management to reassemble in Durham before end of the day today.
India tour of England – Two Indian Cricketers Tests Positive: But fortunately, both are doing fine now. While one has even returned negative tests since, the other will be tested on July 18 as he completes his 10th day in isolation on Sunday.
BCCI statement:
Wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant nears completion of his self-quarantine period. Pant, who had not stayed in the team hotel during the break period, tested positive on 8th July. He will be able to join the squad in Durham after returning two negative RT-PCR tests.
The BCCI Medical Team have identified B. Arun, Bowling Coach, Wriddhiman Saha and Abhimanyu Easwaran as close contacts of Garani, who was in the team hotel when he tested positive following RT-PCR tests on 14th July. The four personnel will undergo 10-day isolation and will remain in their respective rooms in the team hotel in London.
The entire Indian contingent including travelling family members and caretakers were administered with the second dose of covid vaccine earlier this month in London. To mitigate any further risks, the Indian contingent is taking the Lateral Flow Test on a daily basis.
BCCI & ECB is now suspecting that there can be more positive cases in the Indian camp. It is worth noting that the Indian players currently on break were earlier tested on July 10th and again on July 14th. The positive test report of the Indian Cricketers are from 10th July and the earlier conducted test.
“All players will reassemble in Durham today. The two player who have tested positive will stay isolated. We will now not allow players to mingle around till we get reports of the test undertaken yesterday.”, worried BCCI official told InsideSport.co early in the morning today.
Earlier Speaking to ANI, sources in the know of developments said both the players were asymptomatic as such and there were minor signs of cough and cold when they were tested for COVID-19.
“Luckily, there is nothing to worry as one of the players has already returned negative since testing positive, the other player will be tested on Sunday and is currently in isolation. He is asymptomatic as well and we are confident that he can join the camp soon after negative reports,” the source said.
Asked if there were any further reasons to worry as the boys were on a break after the World Test Championship final, the source said all the other players were fine and regular testing is on. “As of now, they are all fine, but we will be testing them regularly and following strict protocols. Safety of the players is always the priority,” the source said.
BCCI & ECB has asked the positive tested players to stay in home quarantine at their relative’s place. The positive tested players will not travel to Durham today and will be tested once again in the next 48 hours.
It is worth noting that Indian team is scheduled to play two practice games in Durham. The first 3 day match vs Select County XI is scheduled for 20th July.
India tour of England – BCCI, ECB worries their can be more Covid-19 positives in Indian camp?
India tour of England – Indian Cricketer Test Positive: One of the positive tested player reportedly initially experienced a sore throat after which he tested positive for COVID-19. The concerned player was continuously mingling with few of the teammates and members of support staff and this fact is making BCCI & ECB more worried.
“We have asked teammates and support staff who came in contact with the players to isolate themselves for next three days. They will travel to Durham but will be asked to get in quarantine. We are just waiting for their test reports for the tests undertaken on Tuesday”, said the BCCI official to InsideSport.co
Covid cases in England are rising past few days.
The development in the Indian camp comes days after a number of players in England squad tested positive ahead of the ODI series against Pakistan. It forced the ECB to send the entire England squad including captain Eoin Morgan and Joe Root into isolation. A second-string side led by Ben Stokes were named to play the 3 match ODI series as a replacement.
Earlier Sri Lanka batting coach Grant Flower and SLC team members had also tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of India’s ODI series against Sri Lanka. They were returning after a limited-overs series against England. As a result, the series opener got pushed by 5 days to July 18.
India are set to play a three-day warm-up match starting July 20 against a County Select XI at Chester-le-Street in Durham. India will use the Riverside Ground “as a home venue for their preparations this summer”, a release from Durham Cricket stated on Wednesday.
“The three-day game will see a number of players from the county circuit feature as they go up against the Indian national side,” the release said.
There will be 90 overs scheduled per day with the game being played “strictly behind closed doors”, and will be streamed on Durham Cricket’s YouTube channel.
The match will help India to prepare for the five-Test series starting August 4 in Trent Bridge.
Indian players were allowed to leave the bio-bubble for 20 days for a break after the WTC Final. They will re-enter the bubble ahead of the practice matches from July 20. Notably, the Test series between India and England kicks off on August 4.
India’s tour of England, 2021-22
| Sr. | Date | Match | Venue |
| 1 | 4th – 8th August | 1st Test vs England | Nottingham |
| 2 | 12th – 16th August | 2nd Test vs England | London (Lord’s) |
| 3 | 25th – 29th August | 3rd Test vs England | Leeds |
| 4 | 2nd – 6th September | 4th Test vs England | London (Oval) |
| 5 | 10th – 14th September | 5th Test vs England | Manchester |
India’s squad: Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper).
Standby players: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Arzan Nagwaswalla
India tour of England: Bad news, Indian player tests positive for COVID-19, quarantined
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With Inputs from ANI
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