Wriddhiman Saha and Amit Mishra have defeated COVID-19, having tested positive for the virus on May 4, the same day that IPL 2021 was suspended indefinitely. ESPNCricinfo has reported that Prasidh Krishna has also returned a negative test. The trio announced their respective recoveries on Twitter, with the leg-spinner doing so while expressing his heartfelt gratitude towards the frontline workers.
Saha is part of the India squad that is due to tour England for the World Test Championship final against New Zealand, followed by a five-Test series against the hosts. Krishna is among the four players named as stand-bys. These two, along with KL Rahul, who has undergone surgery after being diagnosed with acute appendicitis, have been included in the touring party subject to fitness clearance.
The England-bound contingent is set to go under quarantine in Mumbai on Wednesday, but Saha is expected to join his team-mates later, having sought the BCCI's permission to spend some time with his family in Kolkata.
The BCCI has reportedly issued an ultimatum to its players over Covid-19 precautions. In a case where a player tests positive for the virus, he can consider himself out of the England tour. According to The Indian Express, the BCCI has asked the players to stay put indoors and not venture out much to keep the virus at bay as the board will not, in any case, arrange a separate charter flight for any individual. A positive RT-PCR test, thus, would mean the end of the England series for that player.
The report also claimed that RT-PCR tests will be conducted not just on the players but also their family members before entering the bio-bubble keeping in mind the extent to which the virus has wreaked havoc across the country. The board has also reportedly asked its players to take Covishield shots for the first jab and the BCCI itself will arrange the vaccine's second dose during the England tour as the AstraZeneca vaccine is available in the UK.
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