- Thursday, April 25, 2024
By: Sattwik Biswal
THE fifth and final Test in Manchester starting Friday (10), now looks doubtful as one more member of Indian team’s support staff – assistant physiotherapist Yogesh Parmar – has tested positive for Covid-19.
India have also cancelled a training session on the eve of the Test against England, with the Indian players been ordered to stay in their hotel rooms following the latest positive case, according to Thursday’s media reports.
“It was an optional session,” said an India team spokesman on Thursday (9). “Won’t take place now.”
His comments followed media reports of a fresh Covid case within India’s backroom staff, with the latest case emerging after a fresh round of testing on Wednesday evening (8). The team had trained as scheduled on Wednesday (8) morning.
Meanwhile, according to reports, India’s scheduled pre-match press conference, which was scheduled for 3pm UK time (7.30pm IST), also stands cancelled.
India head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach Ramakrishnan Sridhar had already been ruled out of being present during the fifth Test at Old Trafford after testing positive for Covid-19 during India’s 157-run in the fourth Test at the Oval, completed on Monday that left them 2-1 up with one to play.
The Indian Express newspaper said that after talking to the players, the Board of Control for Cricket in India does not want the fifth Test to go ahead.
The Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament resumes in United Arab Emirates on September 19 and the board did not want the cash-rich event to be “impacted”, the report said.
