"The BCCI Medical Team has isolated Mr Ravi Shastri"
Indian cricket team head coach Ravi Shastri is isolating after testing positive for coronavirus.
Shastri’s lateral flow test came back positive on the evening of Saturday, September 4, 2021, which was the third day of the fourth Test match against England at the Oval.
He will now miss the remainder of the fourth Test and is now isolating as he waits for the results of a PCR test.
Bowling coach Bharat Arun, fielding coach Ramakrishnan Sridhar and physiotherapist Nitin Patel have also been isolating as a precautionary measure.
The rest of the team had negative results after two separate lateral flow tests.
A statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India read:
“The BCCI Medical Team has isolated Mr Ravi Shastri, Head Coach, Mr B Arun, Bowling Coach, Mr R Sridhar, Fielding Coach and Mr Nitin Patel, Physiotherapist as a precautionary measure after Mr Shastri’s lateral flow test returned positive last evening.
“They have undergone RT-PCR testing and shall remain in the team hotel and not travel with Team India until confirmation from the medical team.”
India may be forced to play the final test match at Old Trafford on Friday, September 10, 2021, without their head coach if his PCR test result also comes back positive.
Shastri will remain in the team hotel and not travel with them until cleared by the Indian medical team.
England and India have been kept completely separate from each other away from the pitch and none of the home team has tested positive for Covid-19.
However, this is not the first time that the Indian cricket team has been hit by the deadly virus.
Wicketkeeper and batsman Rishabh Pant and training assistant Dayanand Garani both tested positive in July 2021 while the team were on a break.
They had completed the World Test Championship final against New Zealand and were about to begin the series against England.
Three members of the wider team, including bowling coach Bharat Arun who is in quarantine again, had to isolate for ten days as a result.
Pant has since recovered and has played in every match of the series so far.
Both teams are currently tied at 1-1 with India resuming, holding a lead of 171 runs with seven wickets remaining.
Loading ...