5th Test between India, England called off over Covid ‘anxiety’

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 10

The fifth and final Test match between India and England was today called off at the last minute due to ‘anxiety’ among the Indian players of a possible Covid-19 outbreak in the team.

Also read: Manchester mystery: Forfeited, cancelled or postponed?

The status of the series, which India lead 2-1, remains unclear as the Indian cricket board (BCCI) has offered to play the deciding Test at a mutually acceptable time in the future. Due to the packed schedule, the only likely window to reschedule the match is next year, when the Indian team visits England for six limited-overs matches.

The status of the fifth Test and the series was mired in confusion for several hours today as chaos reigned — hosts England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) first claimed that India had forfeited the match, which meant England had won the match to draw the series 2-2. However, in a subsequent statement, ECB removed the word ‘forfeit’ and instead said: “Due to fears of a further increase in the number of Covid cases inside the camp, India are regrettably unable to field a team.”

After further talks between representatives of the two boards, BCCI issued a statement that said: “In lieu (sic) of the strong relationship between BCCI and ECB, the BCCI has offered to ECB a rescheduling of the cancelled Test match. Both the Boards will work towards finding a window to reschedule this Test match.” Under the rules of the World Test Championship — of which this series is a part — Covid-19 is acceptable as a reason for not playing “should there be a significant impact of it on the team being able to play”.

On Thursday, the Indian players had got the all-clear after testing negative for Covid-19, but they were reluctant to take the field because many of them had worked closely with assistant physiotherapist Yogesh Parmar — who tested positive on Thursday — during and after the fourth Test in London.

Further, with chief coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar recovering from Covid-19 in London, the Indian team would have had to play the high-stakes deciding Test without key members of its thinktank; and also without its physiotherapists, since senior physio Nitin Patel is isolating in London after being identified as a close contact of Shastri.

Despite their negative results, the Indian players were worried because, factoring in the 96-hour incubation period for the virus, it is possible that a player could have tested positive during the match.

The ECB was keen to go ahead with the match, or at least declare it a forfeiture by India, because it was worried that insurance companies might not compensate it for the financial loss — reported to be over GBP 30 million — in case the match was simply mutually ‘cancelled’ by the two teams.

If the Test were to be cancelled altogether, the hosts would stare at a “multi-million” pound loss. The Lancashire Cricket Club has sold out tickets for the first three days and it must reimburse all the ticket buyers, apart from hospitality vendors and others suppliers, and could lose GBP 1 million.

For BCCI, too, there are financial considerations — the multi-crore IPL, halted by Covid-19 in April, is scheduled to resume in Dubai on September 19. A further spread of the virus among the Indian team would have had very severe consequences for the tournament.

Monetary concerns

If the Test were to be cancelled altogether, the hosts would stare at a “multi-million” pound loss. The Lancashire Cricket Club has sold out tickets and it must reimburse the buyers. It can lose GBP 1 million.

(With agency inputs from Manchester)

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