In a big relief to the Indian team before the Test series against England; Rishabh Pant has recovered from Covid-19 infection and will join the side in Durham on July 21. The wicketkeeper-batsman had tested positive for the virus on July 8 and did not travel with his teammates to Durham.
Pant’s Covid-19 report was the first case of Covid-19 in the Indian camp which was followed by the throwdown specialist Dayanand Garanai testing positive. The backup opener Abhimanyu Easwaran and backup wicketkeeper Wrridhiman Saha had to isolate after being deemed in close contact with Graani.
Pant tested positive for the novel coronavirus while being away on a break for three weeks when he had visited a packed football stadium to watch a Euro 2021 game.
Pant’s absence could well have hurt India’s chances massively in the five-match Test series against the host England starting on 4 August in Nottingham. He has emerged as one of the most important match-winner of this Indian Test side over the last nine months on the back of stupendous knocks against Australia and England.
India have already suffered a massive setback in the form of injury to Shubman Gill that led to miscommunication between the team management and the selection committee over the presence of backup players.