IND vs ENG: India To Face Wicket-Keeper Crisis After Pant & Saha Turn Covid-19 Positive

India does not have any backup wicket-keeper for practice match against England's County XI. KL Rahul will take over the wicket-keeping duty for India vs England Practice match on July 20.

Photo: AFP

India Vs England: The troubles of Team India touring England seems to be increasing after India's star wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant tested Covid-19 positive.  Apart from Pant, training assistant and net bowler Dayanand Garani has also tested Covid-19 positive. As per a report in ANI, two players and a coach who came in contact with Dayanand Garani have been kept in isolation. Both these players will not be a part of the practice match against England's Combined County XI, set to be held on July 20.

However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has informed that Rishabh Pant will join Team India as soon as he tests Covid-19 negative. BCCI issued a statement saying, "Pant, who was not staying in the team hotel during the break, was found positive on July 8. He is asymptomatic and is currently in isolation. He is being monitored by the BCCI medical team. Pant will join the team after the RT PCR test comes negative."

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BCC has reportedly kept the other three members in isolation who came in contact with Garani. The BCCI medical team has reportedly identified bowling coach B. Arun, wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and Abhimanyu Easwaran as three personnels who came in contact with Garani. Garani has tested Covid-19 positive on July 14. All four personnel have been kept in isolation for 10 days.

Wicket-keeper crisis in team India?

Team India does not have any backup wicket-keeper for the practice match against England's Combined County XI. In this case, KL Rahul will most likely take over the wicket-keeping duty for India vs England Practice match on July 20.

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly and Chief Selector Chetan Sharma are monitoring the entire situation. On Wednesday, Chetan Sharma had a meeting with Sourav Ganguly in view of Covid cases in the team. Apart from this, BCCI secretary has reportedly sent an email to the players asking them to follow the Coronavirus protocols.

team India players have been on a break ever since playing the final of the World Test Championship against New Zealand last month. On July 18, all the players of Team India will gather in Durham where the practice camp for the Test series is scheduled to start. Any players or staff who tests Covid-19 positive will be kept in isolation for the time being.