India wicketkeeper, training assistant test positive for Covid-19

India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and training assistant Dayanand Garani have tested positive for Covid-19.

Pant, 23, is close to completing his quarantine period and can join the squad in Durham if he returns two negative tests.

The BCCI medical team identified Bharat Arun, Wriddhiman Saha and Abhimanyu Easwaran as close contacts of Garani.

India will enter a bio-bubble before the five-match Test series with England starting on 4 August.

The India players have remained in the UK after the World Test Championship Final defeat by New Zealand last month.

They were given a 20-day break before joining back together.

The news came amid reports that the secretary of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Jay Shah, had sent an email to the 23-member team in the UK warning it about rising Covid-19 cases in the country.

Reports said Shah had told the players to “avoid” crowded places, and going to tennis Grand Slam Wimbledon and football’s European Championship, which recently concluded in the UK.

Pant shared pictures on social media attending the last-16 Euro 2020 match between England and Germany at Wembley on 29 June.

Rajiv Shukla BCCI vice-president earlier told PTI: “One player has tested positive but he has been in isolation for the last eight days. He was not staying in any hotel with the team, so no other player has been affected.”

Earlier this month England named an inexperienced 18-man replacement squad for their ODI series with Pakistan after three players and four staff members tested positive for Covid-19.

In May, the Indian Premier League (IPL), the richest franchise tournament in world cricket, was suspended after an increase in coronavirus cases among players. — BBC Sport

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