England v India 2021: India cancel training on eve of fifth Test because of Covid case
| Venue: Emirates Old Trafford Date: 10-14 September Time: 11:00 BST |
| Coverage: In-play highlights, Test Match Special commentary and text coverage on the BBC Sport website and app. Watch daily highlights on Today at the Test at 19:00 BST on BBC Two (19:30 on 10 September) and BBC iPlayer. |
India have cancelled Thursday’s optional training session after another positive Covid-19 test result among their coaching staff.
Players have been told to stay in their hotel rooms after having fresh tests on Thursday morning, with a spokesperson for the India team telling BBC Sport “everyone is being tested regularly”.
Head coach Ravi Shastri tested positive during the fourth Test at The Oval, which India won by 157 runs.
India lead the five-Test series 2-1.
Three other members of the India backroom staff – bowling coach Bharat Arun, fielding coach Ramakrishnan Sridhar and physiotherapist Nitin Patel – isolated after Shastri’s positive as a “precautionary measure”.
Indian media are reporting that the latest positive was in close contact with the players in the last Test.
The fifth and final Test is due to start at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday, with players then immediately leaving to play in the rescheduled Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates from 19 September.
Shastri’s result was the first known positive since the series began on 4 August, but India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and training assistant Dayanand Garani tested positive pre-series.
England have been staying in different hotels to India, and the only interaction the teams have had has been on the field of play.
About Author
