The dark clouds looming over the fifth and final Test at Old Trafford seem to have scattered away after the entire Indian squad returned negative for Covid-19 after what was a day-long uncertainty, ESPNCricinfo reported.
The fate of the series-concluder of the Pataudi Trophy, which India are leading 2-1, hung by a thread after India’s assistant physio Yogesh Parmar tested Covid-19 positive on Wednesday evening. As a result, the tourists were forced to cancel their training session on the eve of the fifth and final Test at Old Trafford, which is set to start on Friday, September 10.
The publication also stated that ever since Parmar returned a positive test, the BCCI grew anxious about whether the development could have a cascading effect on the second phase of the IPL, which kicks off in the UAE from September 19, five days after the Manchester Test. On September 15, a batch of the India and England players are scheduled to board charter flights from Manchester to Dubai to join their respective IPL franchises.
The BCCI wants the IPL to be conducted smoothly as it is scheduled to host the men’s 2020 World Cup in the UAE and Oman two days after the IPL wraps up, on October 15. According to ESPNCricinfo, the BCCI’s top brass met virtually with the Indian team management including captain Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri to figure a way forward. It was learnt by the publication that the Indian players remain concerned although they have left the final decision with the BCCI.
