The fifth and final Test match of the India-England series, to be played at Manchester from Friday, has been cancelled following fears of a possible Covid outbreak in the Indian camp.
The final score line of the series which India leads 2-1 is not yet known. At the time of writing, the two cricket boards - BCCI and ECB - were in talks over how the series should be brought to a closure. BCCI refuted ECB’s initial statement that said India had agreed to “forfeit the match”. “That’s not true,” a BCCI official said. “There is a chance the final Test could be played next year during our next visit to England for limited overs matches. We are still engaged in talks.”
“Following ongoing conversations with the BCCI, the ECB can confirm that the fifth Test between England and India Men due to start today at Emirates Old Trafford, will be cancelled,” ECB’s revised statement said. “Due to fears of a further increase in the number of Covid cases inside the camp, India are regrettably unable to field a team.”
Both boards have been engaged in talks over the last 24 hours after a fourth Covid positive case in the form of physio Yogesh Parmar was reported in the Indian camp on Friday. Since many of the players had taken treatment from him in the training session the previous day, the team was reluctant to take any health risks many are travelling with young families. This was communicated by the senior players to the BCCI.
{{/usCountry}}Both boards have been engaged in talks over the last 24 hours after a fourth Covid positive case in the form of physio Yogesh Parmar was reported in the Indian camp on Friday. Since many of the players had taken treatment from him in the training session the previous day, the team was reluctant to take any health risks many are travelling with young families. This was communicated by the senior players to the BCCI.
{{/usCountry}}The two boards did explore the possibility of deferring the Test match by a day or two, but the players remained reluctant with the incubation period of the virus still leaving them at risk. Head coach Ravi Shastri was the first to have tested positive, last week. Any longer postponement was not feasible with the IPL set to begin in the UAE from September 19 and players from both camps scheduled to leave in chartered flights to join the bio-bubble there.