Rohit tests positive for Covid

Birmingham, June 26

India skipper Rohit Sharma has tested positive for Covid-19 in a Rapid Antigen Test and placed in isolation ahead of the rescheduled fifth Test against England, the BCCI said today.

The Test match is scheduled to begin on July 1 here and if Rohit remains in the six-day isolation, either pacer Jasprit Bumrah or wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant could be asked to

lead the team.

“Team India captain Mr Rohit Sharma has tested positive for COVID-19 following a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) conducted on Saturday,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a media release. “He is currently in isolation at the team hotel and is under the care of the BCCI Medical Team. An RT-PCR test will be conducted on Sunday to ascertain his CT value,” the release added.

Rohit had batted on the first day of the warm-up game against Leicestershire but didn’t take the field on the second day. He did not bat in the second innings.

The 35-year-old is expected to open the innings alongside Shubman Gill in the Test match and his participation would now depend on the result of his RT-PCR test and his recovery.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had also joined the squad late since he had tested positive for Covid-19 before the team left for the UK tour. The matches are not played in a bio-bubble.