Rishabh Pant tests Covid positive, Bharat Arun and two others in isolation

Along with Pant, one of the three throwdown specialists in the support squad, Dayananada Garani, has tested positive 19. Wriddhiman Saha, opening batsman Abhimanyu Easwaran and bowling coach Bharat Arun have been forced to isolate

The Indian cricket team’s three-week holiday in England may have been a welcome breather for some, but it has also led to five members of the contingent--three players and two support staff members out of action after Rishabh Pant tested positive for coronavirus. The team travelled to Durham on Thursday without its two first choice wicket-keepers, a batting reserve, a throwdown specialist and bowling coach.

Rishabh Pant, it is learnt, has completed eight days of isolation at a relative’s place in London. (Action Images via Reuters)

Along with Pant, one of the three throwdown specialists in the support squad, Dayananada Garani, has tested positive for Covid 19. Wriddhiman Saha, opening batsman Abhimanyu Easwaran and bowling coach Bharat Arun have been forced to isolate themselves as close contacts of Pant and Garani.

Pant, it is learnt, has completed eight days of isolation at a relative’s place in London. Garani tested positive this week. Arun is travelling with his family for the tour.

A BCCI official who did not wish to be named said that allowing the players a vacation after the World Test Championship final last month was fraught with risk, but the decision had been taken keeping player welfare in mind. Most players on the Indian tour have spent months inside bio-bubbles since September last year, with small breaks in between.

This is an English summer of cricket that has been on a “knife edge”, as Ashley Giles, the English team’s managing director had said. That was after seven members of the England set up--three players and four staff--tested positive after their series against Sri Lanka earlier this month. It forced the entire team into isolation, and a fresh new team with nine uncapped players being announced for their three-match ODI series against Pakistan. Earlier, the Sri Lankan cricket board had recalled three players from the England tour after they had been spotted breaching Covid protocols.

The UK has seen a steep spike in Covid-19 cases this month. On July 14, more than 42,000 people tested positive, up from the low hundreds in June (though hospitalization and death rates remain low). The new surge is being caused by the Delta variant, which was first identified in India, but the government has gone ahead with a phased lifting of restrictions as more than 50 per cent of its population has received both vaccine doses.

During the break, while some Indian players with young families decided to stay put in London and stayed indoors, a few others ventured out to explore Scotland. Some players and support staff went out to watch the Euro and Wimbledon, where full attendance had been permitted.

Pant had posted a picture on his Instagram of watching the June 29 England vs Germany match at Wembley. Head coach Ravi Shastri and Ravichandran Ashwin were at Wimbledon. This week, Ashwin became the only member of India’s touring party to get some cricket under his belt, playing a 4-day county game for Surrey.

After Pant’s positive result came to light, BCCI secretary Jay Shah rushed a letter to the team, asking them to avoid attending live sports events.

Earlier in January, during India’s tour of Australia, a fan had tweeted pictures and videos of Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Navdeep Saini and Shubman Gill having a meal at a Sydney restaurant. He also claimed to have been hugged affectionately by Pant. While players were allowed to go out and eat in restaurants according to the Covid protocols in place in Sydney, they were not allowed to mingle with fans. The BCCI refuted that the players had violated rules.

Indian players will continue to be tested at regular intervals in Durham where they will be playing a 3-day practice game against a select country eleven on July 20.

Virat Kohli and his team are also slated to play an intra-squad match there before leaving for Nottingham on July 30. But a lot would depend upon safe and speedy recovery of those affected and isolated due to the virus. The first of the 5-Test series starts at Trent Bridge on August 4. India has already lost opener Shubman Gill, ruled out of the tour with a shin injury.