Team India‘s next red-ball project is against England as they will play five-match Test series, starting in the first week of August. However, ahead of the series, the Virat Kohli and Co. have received a major setback as reportedly wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has been tested positive for COVID-19.
Pant was present at the Wembley Stadium to watch England’s clash against Germany on June 30. According to the reports, Pant is not experiencing any serious symptoms, but he won’t be travelling to Durham, where the Indian team is scheduled to assemble on Thursday to prepare for their three-day warm-up match against a County Championship XI team, beginning from July 20.
As soon as the news hit social media, fans and admirers of Pant flooded different platforms with their best wishes to the Delhi-lad. Former India cricketer Suresh Raina and senior off-spinner Harbhajan Singh also shared their reactions.
Raina took to Twitter and wished a speedy recovery to Pant.
“Get well soon, brother @RishabhPant17 Wish you a speedy recovery,” Raina wrote on the micro-blogging website.
Get well soon brother @RishabhPant17. Wish you a speedy recovery.
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) July 15, 2021
Harbhajan also wished Pant to get well soon. He wrote: “Get well soon, champion @RishabhPant17.”
Get well soon champion @RishabhPant17
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) July 15, 2021
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan called for isolation rules to be changed for the safety of players. He feared for the upcoming domestic tournament, The Hundred, as well as the Test series between England and India. Vaughan reckoned that Ashes 2021 could also get in trouble if the respective boards or authorities don’t change quarantine rules.
“I fear for the 100 & the Indian Test series unless the isolation laws change .. we are bound to have cases as is the case with @RishabhPant17 .. plus, further down the line, I fear the Ashes could be hugely affected with players pulling out unless bubbles/quarantine rules change !,” Vaughan wrote on Twitter.
I fear for the 100 & the Indian Test series unless the isolation laws change .. we are bound to have cases as is the case with @RishabhPant17 .. plus further down the line I fear the Ashes could be hugely affected with players pulling out unless bubbles/quarantine rules change !
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) July 15, 2021
Notably, ahead of the recently concluded ODI series between England and Pakistan, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had confirmed that seven team members, including three players and four staff members, were tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
