India Head Coach Ravi Shastri (on left) tested positive for Covid-19 during the fourth Test at The Oval[/caption]
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed, by about an hour before the scheduled start to their fifth Test against India, that India were unable to field a team at Old Trafford due to fears of a rise in Covid-19 cases in their camp.
India cancelled a practice session on Thursday (9) ahead of the match after a member of their support staff tested positive for Covid-19.
“The fifth Test between England and India has been called off as the tourists were unable to field a team due to fears of an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in their camp,” reported Sky Sports yesterday (10) by 2.30 p.m. Sri Lanka time.
ICC to decide the final outcome
India Head Coach Ravi Shastri tested positive during India’s fourth Test victory at The Oval and has since been isolating with Bowling Coach Bharat Arun, Fielding Coach Ramakrishnan Sridhar and physiotherapist Nitin Patel.
The ECB initially announced that India had forfeited the Test, but later clarified that was not the case.
“India led the five-Test series 2-1 going into the final match at Old Trafford and the International Cricket Council (ICC) will now determine the outcome of the match and series result,” said Sky Sports.
ECB’s updated statement
In an updated statement, the ECB said: “Following ongoing conversations with the BCCI (the Board of Control for Cricket in India), the ECB can confirm that the fifth Test between England and India Men due to start today (yesterday) at Emirates Old Trafford, will be cancelled.
“Due to fears of a further increase in the number of Covid cases inside the camp, India are regrettably unable to field a team.
“We send our sincere apologies to fans and partners for this news, which we know will cause immense disappointment and inconvenience to many.
“Further information will be shared in due course.”
Players to leave for IPL
Players were due to leave to play in the rescheduled Indian Premier League (IPL) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 19 September at the conclusion of the final Test in Manchester.
India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and net bowler Dayanand Garani tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of the Test series.
Nasser Hussain: Fifth Test match situation a ‘mess’
Former England Captain Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports News: “I have a lot of sympathy with the Indian players as they’ve had two physios (test positive) and the second one would have been treating all the players with some sore bodies ahead of a fifth Test match.
“You cannot do physiotherapy without close contact. Even those players have tested negative a couple of times now, the incubation period means they are worried that two or three days into the Test match they test positive and three or four players go down.
“My actual sympathy is with the crowd. People would have taken days off work, booked hotels and you can imagine how people would have come here to watch this Test match with it set up perfectly - India 2-1 ahead and England looking to bounce back.
“It’s a real shame that it has to end on such a low note.”