Pant, training assistant Garani test Covid +ve; 3 others isolated

London: Indian cricket board's decision to allow players to visit sporting venues as well as other public places in England and mingle with crowd during their three-week break has come under spotlight after it emerged that wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and training assistant-cum-net bowler Dayanand Garani have tested positive for Covid-19 in England where the Test squad is preparing for a five-Test series.

The Indian cricket board on Thursday confirmed that wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and training assistant-cum-net bowler Dayanand Garani have tested positive for Covid-19 in England where the Test squad is preparing for a five-Test series.

"Pant, who had not stayed in the team hotel during the break period, tested positive on July 8. He is asymptomatic and currently undergoing self-isolation at the place where he reported positive.

He is being closely monitored by the BCCI Medical Team and is on his way to recovery. He will be able to join the squad in Durham after returning two negative RT-PCR tests," said a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The Board has also put in isolation three members of the squad who came in close contact with Garani.

"The BCCI medical team have identified B. Arun, bowling coach, [wicketkeeper] Wriddhiman Saha and Abhimanyu Easwaran as close contacts of Garani, who was in the team hotel when he tested positive following RT-PCR tests on 14th July. The four personnel will undergo 10-day isolation and will remain in their respective rooms in the team hotel in London," added the statement.

Pant had visited the Euro 2020 pre-quarter final between England and Germany on June 29 and had later tweeted pictures of himself with a few of his friends sitting in the crowd.

"Good experience watching [emoticon: football] [emoticons: flags of England and Germany]," Pant had tweeted with pictures from the Wembley Stadium where the match was played.

Hanuma Vihari and Jasprit Bumrah are the other players to have visited the Wembley to watch Euro 2020 football.

Team coach Ravi Shastri and premier off-spinner R Ashwin, who played a County Championship match for Surrey this week, had visited Wimbledon in the break.

"The entire Indian contingent including travelling family members and caretakers were administered with the second dose of Covid vaccine earlier this month in London.

To mitigate any further risks, the Indian contingent is taking the Lateral Flow Test on a daily basis," said the statement further.

The Indian team, which plays the first of the five Tests against England from August 4, will begin preparations for the series England with a three-day warm-up game at Riverside ground against a County XI from July 20.