Team India to assemble in Durham without Covid+ Pant; four others

0
440
Covid-19 has struck the touring Indians ahead of their five-Test series against England.
Covid-19 has struck the touring Indians ahead of their five-Test series against England. Photo courtesy: BCCI/Twitter.

Indian cricket contingent will reassemble in Durham without wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and four others to prepare for the five-Test series against hosts England.

Pant has been in quarantine for more than a week now after testing positive for Covid infection on July 8. Team’s training as training assistant/net bowler Dayanand Garani has also tested positive for the virus infection, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has confirmed in a Press release.

The Indian team was on a three-week break after the conclusion of the ICC World Test Championship final held in Southampton against New Zealand.

Pant, who had not stayed in the team hotel during the break period, has tested positive last week. He is asymptomatic and currently undergoing self-isolation at the place where he was reported positive. He is being closely monitored by the BCCI medical team and is on his way to recovery.

Pant will be able to join the squad in Durham after returning two negative RT-PCR tests.

The BCCI medical team has also identified Bowling coach B. Arun, 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 July 14. 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. The Indian contingent is taking the Lateral Flow Test on a daily basis to mitigate any further risks.

Team India will begin their preparations for the upcoming five-match Test series against England with a three-day warm-up game at Emirates Riverside against County XI starting on Tuesday.