Indian cricket team head coach Ravi Shastri tested positive for COVID-19 and has been sent into isolation, BCCI confirmed on Sunday.
Shastri’s lateral flow test result came back positive and the BCCI medical staff immediately sought to isolate other three members of his support staff - bowling coach Bharat Arun, fielding coach R Sridhar, and physiotherapist Nitin Patel - as a precautionary measure.
“The BCCI Medical Team has isolated Mr Ravi Shastri, Head Coach, Mr B. Arun, Bowling Coach, Mr R. Sridhar, Fielding Coach and Mr Nitin Patel, Physiotherapist as a precautionary measure after Mr Shastri’s lateral flow test returned positive last evening,” BCCI said in a release.
Ravi Shastri and his three support staff members underwent RT-PCR testing and didn’t travel with the rest of the Indian side to The Oval for Day 4 of the ongoing fourth Test against England.
“They shall remain in the team hotel and not travel with Team India until confirmation from the medical team,” the release added.
The BCCI also confirmed that all members of the Indian team, including the XI involved in the ongoing Oval Test, underwent two lateral flow tests - on Saturday night and on Sunday morning. The members were only allowed to travel to the venue after returning negative in both of them.
The five-match Test series is currently level at 1-1, with Day 4’s play to resume with Indian captain Virat Kohli and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja at the crease for India. The visitors lead by over 170 runs following Rohit Sharma’s maiden overseas ton on Saturday.
Featured photo: AFP / Saeed Khan
