India vs England: Rishabh Pant completes 10-day isolation; will he play Durham warm-up game?

Rishabh Pant, who tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month in the U.K, has completed his mandatory 10-day isolation ahead of the three-day practice match between Team India and County Select XI.

However, Pant will not play the warm-up game, which is due to begin on Tuesday (July 20) in Durham.

The wicketkeeper-batsman, who is currently at his relative's place in the U.K, is believed to be recovering well. Meanwhile, Wriddhiman Saha, reserve opener Abhimanyu Easwaran and bowling coach Bharat Arun are still in isolation after coming into contact with COVID-19 positive net bowler Dayanand Garani.

"Even if Pant would have reached in time for the practice game, he would have been given adequate rest to get back in peak physical condition. He has been asymptomatic but would need to train well ahead of the first Test in Nottingham. In any case, both Pant and Wriddhiman, who is isolated as a precautionary measure will be available for the first Test," an unnamed senior BCCI official told PTI.

In the absence of Saha and Pant, KL Rahul, who has been doing keeping drills in training, will be behind the wickets for the visitors.

It was earlier reported that Pant, who was in the Wembley Stadium for one of the Euros 2020 fixture, had contracted the Delta variant of coronavirus.

The Indian cricket team and support staff recently came under criticism when it was revealed that they were asked by the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Jay Shah to avoid attending events like Wimbledon and Euros 2020 citing the surge in the COVID-19 cases in the U.K. However, a few Indian players and staff, including head coach Ravi Shastri, were spotted at the events.

Defending Team India, BCCI Chief Sourav Ganguly said," We have seen Euro Championship and Wimbledon in England. Rules have changed (with the crowd being allowed inside venues). They were on leave and it's physically impossible to wear a mask all the time."

India and England are set to lock horns in a five-match Test series, which will be their first assignment of the 2021-23 World Test Championship (WTC) Cycle. India recently played New Zealand in the maiden WTC final, which the BlackCaps won comfortably by eight wickets in Southampton.