London: Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and Dayanand Garani – training assistant/net bowler of Indian cricket team have tested positive for COVID-19 in England and are placed in precautionary quarantine, the BCCI said on Thursday.
Team India (Senior Men) were on a three-week break after the conclusion of the ICC World Test Championship final held in Southampton against New Zealand last month.
Pant, who had not stayed in the team hotel during the break period, tested positive on July 8.
‘Pant 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,’ the BCCI said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the BCCI medical team have identified B Arun, Bowling Coach, Wriddhiman Saha and Abhimanyu Easwaran as close contacts of Garani, who was in the team hotel when he tested positive following RT-PCR tests on July 14.
The four personnel will also not be traveling with the team to Durham and will undergo 10-day isolation in their respective rooms in the team hotel in London.
According to BCCI, the entire Indian contingent including travelling family members and caretakers were administered with the second dose of covid vaccine earlier this month in London.
To mitigate any further risks, the Indian contingent is taking the Lateral Flow Test on a daily basis.
Team India will begin their preparations for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, with a three-day warm-up game at Emirates Riverside against County XI starting on Tuesday.
The India-England Test series starting August 4, marks the beginning of the second cycle of the World Test Championship.
Last week, before the first ODI against Pakistan, the England team too was hit by the virus.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had confirmed that seven members of the team including three players and four staff members tested positive for Covid-19 and the development forced an overhaul of the England ODI squad, with Ben Stokes being appointed the captain of the team.
Rishabh Pant, support staff Garani test positive for Covid-19 in UK
