India coach Ravi Shastri tests positive for Covid-19, isolated along with other support staff members

By AFP

LONDON: India coach Ravi Shastri has been forced to remain in the team hotel after testing positive for the coronavirus during the ongoing fourth Test against England at the Oval, a Board of Control for Cricket in India statement said Sunday.

The BCCI said Shastri, bowling coach B Arun, fielding coach R Sridhar and physiotherapist Nitin Patel were all isolating as a “precautionary measure” following 59-year-old former India all-rounder Shastri’s positive lateral flow test late on Saturday.

They have all undergone PCR testing, with the BCCI statement saying they will “remain in the team hotel and not travel with Team India until confirmation from the medical team”.

But officials insisted it was safe for the match to continue as the remaining members of the Indian contingent had undergone two lateral flow tests, one on Saturday and another on Sunday morning, all of which produced “negative Covid reports” and were allowed to go to the Oval for the fourth day.

But Shastri, Arun, Sridhar and Patel won’t be at the south London ground, as India resume on 270-3 in their second innings, a lead of 171 runs, in a five-match series all square at 1-1.

The two teams have been in separate environments, with the only interactions taking place on the field during play.