New Delhi: The second T20 International between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo on Tuesday has been postponed by a day for the visiting all-rounder. Krunal Pandya tested positive for COVID-19, forced him out of the series with a seven-day separation.
However, all eight of his close ones, who were put in isolation, have tested “negative” in the RT-PCR tests and will be available for the postponed game scheduled for tomorrow.
As per Sri Lanka’s health safety protocol, Krunal will not be able to travel back to India on July 30 along with other crew members as he will now have to undergo mandatory isolation and obtain a negative RT-PCR report.
The third and last T20 is to be held on Thursday.
A BCCI source tracking developments in Colombo said on condition of anonymity, “Krunal has symptoms of cough and sore throat. He is obviously out of the series and will not be able to make a comeback with the rest of the team.
“However, the good news is that all eight of his close contacts, identified by the BCCI Medical Officer (Dr Abhijit Salvi), have tested negative.”
For now, as the three-match series continues, even if there are a few more cases, the Indian team has enough players with negative RT-PCR reports to field a team.
Kunal, who tested positive on Tuesday morning, has already been quarantined.
“The second T20 match between Sri Lanka and India, which was originally scheduled to be played on July 27, has been postponed by a day and will now take place on Wednesday, July 28,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a media statement.
“After the rapid antigen test conducted before the match on Tuesday morning, Kunal Pandya was found positive. The medical teams have identified eight members as close contacts,” the release had earlier said.
However, sources in the BCCI have revealed that all the members of the Indian squad were kept in room isolation till their negative RT-PCR report was received.
RT-PCR test of the entire crew was conducted to detect any further outbreak in the squad.
A BCCI source said, “If everyone is clear, then we can have the match on Wednesday. The maximum number of players out of the eight close contacts who are in mandatory isolation.”
A member of the Indian contingent in Colombo said, “We are all in room isolation till the test reports come.”
India are traveling with a 20-man squad and four stand by net bowlers.
The match was to be played at R Premadasa Stadium.
Now, back-to-back matches will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, provided there are no more players testing positive to affect the balance of the sides, leading to cancellations.
India won the first T20 International by 38 runs and it is quite shocking how Kunal, who was part of a strict bio-bubble for the past one month, contracted the virus.
While the series is being played behind closed doors, the breach of the bio-security bubble at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo, where the Indian team is staying, could be one of the reasons.
The carrier may also be the logistics staff (bus driver, groundsman) or one of the catering staff on the ground.
The development is also likely to impact the travel plans of Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav, who were due to join the Indian team in England after this series for the upcoming Test assignment against England next month.
The two were to be linked with the red ball team in the UK after the completion of the T20I series and it is still unclear if the two were among the eight who were in close contact with Krunal.
However, all eight of his close ones, who were put in isolation, have tested “negative” in the RT-PCR tests and will be available for the postponed game scheduled for tomorrow.
As per Sri Lanka’s health safety protocol, Krunal will not be able to travel back to India on July 30 along with other crew members as he will now have to undergo mandatory isolation and obtain a negative RT-PCR report.
The third and last T20 is to be held on Thursday.
A BCCI source tracking developments in Colombo said on condition of anonymity, “Krunal has symptoms of cough and sore throat. He is obviously out of the series and will not be able to make a comeback with the rest of the team.
“However, the good news is that all eight of his close contacts, identified by the BCCI Medical Officer (Dr Abhijit Salvi), have tested negative.”
For now, as the three-match series continues, even if there are a few more cases, the Indian team has enough players with negative RT-PCR reports to field a team.
Kunal, who tested positive on Tuesday morning, has already been quarantined.
“The second T20 match between Sri Lanka and India, which was originally scheduled to be played on July 27, has been postponed by a day and will now take place on Wednesday, July 28,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a media statement.
“After the rapid antigen test conducted before the match on Tuesday morning, Kunal Pandya was found positive. The medical teams have identified eight members as close contacts,” the release had earlier said.
However, sources in the BCCI have revealed that all the members of the Indian squad were kept in room isolation till their negative RT-PCR report was received.
RT-PCR test of the entire crew was conducted to detect any further outbreak in the squad.
A BCCI source said, “If everyone is clear, then we can have the match on Wednesday. The maximum number of players out of the eight close contacts who are in mandatory isolation.”
A member of the Indian contingent in Colombo said, “We are all in room isolation till the test reports come.”
India are traveling with a 20-man squad and four stand by net bowlers.
The match was to be played at R Premadasa Stadium.
Now, back-to-back matches will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, provided there are no more players testing positive to affect the balance of the sides, leading to cancellations.
India won the first T20 International by 38 runs and it is quite shocking how Kunal, who was part of a strict bio-bubble for the past one month, contracted the virus.
While the series is being played behind closed doors, the breach of the bio-security bubble at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo, where the Indian team is staying, could be one of the reasons.
The carrier may also be the logistics staff (bus driver, groundsman) or one of the catering staff on the ground.
The development is also likely to impact the travel plans of Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav, who were due to join the Indian team in England after this series for the upcoming Test assignment against England next month.
The two were to be linked with the red ball team in the UK after the completion of the T20I series and it is still unclear if the two were among the eight who were in close contact with Krunal.
.