Ashes 2021-22: Sydney Test To Go Ahead After Australia Team Members Test Negative For COVID-19 - Reports

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England in Sydney will go ahead as planned after Australian players turned negative for COVID-19 test.

Recently, Australia saw a surge in Covid cases as South Australia player Travis Head returned positive for the dreadful virus and will miss the fourth Ashes Test against England in Sydney.

There was doubt over the possibility of the Sydney Test going ahead as cases were traced in the England camp as well. On the second day of the MCG Test, seven cases- three support staff and four family members were detected in the England camp.

In hindsight, England head coach Chris Silverwood will miss the next game as he was identified as close contact with one of the family members.

Australia’s squad and support staff returned COVID-19 negative tests

According to a report published by Daily Mail Online, the entire Australian squad and the support staff came back negative on New Year’s Day. One test, for a family member, remains unreported and both teams have taken another round of PCRs, their sixth since the first case was identified in the England camp.

Queensland batter Usman Khawaja will play as a replacement for Travis Head in the next game in Sydney.

Hopefully I can go out there and score a hundred: Usman Khawaja

Khawaja, who played his last Test against England in 2019 in Leeds, will be very hungry to return back to international cricket after a gap of more than two years.

The 35-year-old Khawaja intends to make the best use of his limited opportunity and score big for his side.

“It’s always nicer when you’re coming off games – I haven’t played for a month now – but it shouldn’t take too long hopefully, if I play and get out there, bat for half an hour and get into it, I should find that sync again,” Khawaja was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

“It’s one of those things where even if I do play, it’ll only be for one game. I understand that situation, (and) hopefully I can go out there and score a hundred and do well for the team in the absence of Heady (Travis Head),” he further mentioned.

Australia have already retained the Ashes with an unassailable 3-0 lead against England with two more games left in the series. The fourth Test will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground, starting on January 5.

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