BCCI Unlikely To Send Replacements To England Despite Team India Hit By Covid-19

Team India has been struck by the covid-19 in England as at least two members have been tested positive for the virus this month, and a few others have to be placed in quarantine.

Despite that, it is learned that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is unlikely to send any replacement player(s) to the UK.

Rishabh Pant was the first member of the Indian contingent to return a positive test for the virus on 8th July; he has been placed in quarantine since.

The BCCI, on Thursday, confirmed that not only Pant but also training assistant Dayanand Garani had tested positive for the virus on July 14th. While Pant is close to completing his quarantine, and would also be able to join the rest of the squad in Durham after returning two negative RT-PCR tests, Garani is placed in isolation.

Not only that, 3 more members of the squad – bowling coach, Bharat Arun, Wriddhiman Saha, and Abhimanyu Easwaran – were in close contact with Garani, and hence they all have been also placed in a 10-day quarantine.

Also, with the covid protocols relaxed in the UK, there is a chance that more players could get infected in the coming weeks. However, in spite of all this, the board will not be sending any additional cricketers to join the Indian contingent in England, according to a report in The Indian Express.

The paper also stated that, the BCCI believes, since Pant is asymptomatic and is nearing the end of his isolation period, more players might not be needed.

Virat Kohli’s side will begin their preparations for the upcoming 5-match Test series with a three-day warm-up match in Chester-le-Street against County XI starting on July 20th.

Pant will only be allowed to participate in the game if after completing his quarantine he returns two negative tests.

Earlier as many as seven members of England’s squad which hosted Sri Lanka were reported to have contracted the virus. The entire contingent was placed in quarantine, and the ECB was forced to name a completely new squad, which consisted of several uncapped players, for the ODI series against Pakistan; England still managed to win the series.

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