Indian cricket team
In a major relief for the Indian board, all 21 players of the squad have received negative PCR results after assistant physio Yogesh Parmar tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.
The entire Indian contingent had to undergo RT-PCR tests after Parmar returned with a positive result a day before the start of the fifth and final Test in Manchester.
Parmar's COVID-19 report had put the fifth and final Test in jeopardy. However, negative PCR results of visiting players have given the Test a go-ahead. "All the players have returned with negative test," a senior BCCI source told PTI.
However, according to sources, a senior player in the Indian camp doesn't want to take the field, fearing someone might test positive during the course of the fifth Test. The Indian board is trying to persuade the cricketer, whose family is also against him playing the Test.
Earlier in the day, the Indian team had to cancel its practice session after the junior physio tested positive for the virus.
On Monday, India head coach Ravi Shastri and two of his close contacts, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar had returned positive for COVID-19. The main physio Nitin Patel tested negative but was isolated for being a close contact.
Only batting coach Vikram Rathour was with the team when it won the fourth Test at the Oval on the final day. India currently lead the five-Test series 2-1.
