Indian cricketer tests positive for COVID-19 in England, undergoing quarantine at acquaintance's home
Indian cricketer tests positive for COVID-19 in England, undergoing quarantine at acquaintance's home
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One of the 23 Indian cricketers who are in England for the upcoming Test series has tested positive for COVID-19, reports news agency PTI.
Team India will be assembling in Durham on Thursday after the 20-day break and the player who has tested positive will not be travelling with the team.
"Yes, one of the players has tested positive although he is largely asymptomatic currently. He is in quarantine at an acquaintance's place and won't be travelling with the team to Durham on Thursday," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
According to a report in Indian Express, the player experienced soreness in throat and took the COVID-19 test, which returned positive. The teammates and support staff who came in contact with the player were kept in isolation for three days and are out of it.
Team India will assemble in Durham on Thursday without the player. AFP
The England team also had a COVID-19 breakout within its camp recently, ahead of the limited-overs series against Pakistan. Seven members of the team including three players and four support staff tested positive for COVID-19. This led to ECB selecting a whole new squad for ODI series which they eventually clean-swept 3-0 under the captaincy of Ben Stokes.
Sri Lankan team, which returned home recently from England, also had a coronavirus breakout in their camp, pushing back the ODI series against India from 13 to 18 July.
It has also been reported that BCCI secretary Jay Shah recently sent an e-mail to the Indian contingent in the United Kingdom warning it about the rising cases of COVID-19. The side is to reassemble at Durham in a bio-bubble ahead of the Test series against England next month.
While the touring party in the UK is tight-lipped about the name of the player, it is understood that he has been afflicted by the Delta variant which has led to rising number of cases there.
Shah, in his letter, told the players to "avoid" crowded places as Covishield only provides protection, not full immunity against the virus.
In fact, Shah's letter had specifically stated that players should avoid going to Wimbledon and Euro Championships, which recently concluded there.
The Indian team is due to take on England in a five-match Test series starting 4 August.
With PTI inputs
