Rishabh Pant and throwdown specialist Dayananda Garani - two members of the Indian contingent in England have tested positive for COVID-19. The two have been isolated from the team. However, India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and Team India bowling coach Bharat Arun have self-isolated themselves after coming in contact of throwdown specialist Dayanand Garani. It has also been reported that standby opener Abhimanyu Easwaran has also been put in isolation for being in close proximity of Garani. All five are currently in London while the rest are reaching Durham this evening after reassembling from a 20-day break. London to Durham is a five-hour bus journey.
The BCCI, in a statement, confirmed that Pant had tested positive on 8th July and has been isolation since, while Garani tested positive on 14th July. The team had been on a three-week break after the World Test Championship final. "Pant, who had not stayed in the team hotel during the break period, tested positive on 8th July. He is asymptomatic and currently undergoing self-isolation at the place where he reported positive. He is being closely monitored by the BCCI Medical Team and is on his way to recovery. He will be able to join the squad in Durham after returning two negative RT-PCR tests," said the statement from BCCI. The England men's national team had to undergo quarantine after seven members of the squad tested positive recently. Besides, there was detection of cases in a couple of other counties. Keeping in mind the seriousness of the situation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah recently wrote to the team to exercise caution and avoid going to crowded places. The India-England series marks the beginning of the second cycle of the World Test Championship.
