All the eight Team India cricketers, who were identified to have come in close contact with Krunal Pandya have tested negative for COVID-19 in the fresh round of RT-PCR tests carried out on Tuesday. However, they will not travel to the ground for the 2nd and the 3rd T20I scheduled to take place on July 28 and 29 respectively.
Meanwhile, on July 27 (Tuesday), BCCI confirmed that ace all-rounder Krunal Pandya had contracted the deadly virus. It forced the organisers to postpone the 2nd T20I as eight Indian cricketers were sent into isolation. The allrounder tested positive in both the antigen as well RT-PCR tests, after complaining of a sore throat on Tuesday morning.
NEWS : Krunal Pandya tests positive.
Second Sri Lanka-India T20I postponed to July 28.
The entire contingent is undergoing RT-PCR tests today to ascertain any further outbreak in the squad.#SLvIND
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 27, 2021
Reports suggest that the contacts have been separated from the rest of the India squad and that they will need to clear another round of RT-PCR tests to join the main squad. However, it still remains unclear how Krunal Pandya contracted the virus despite staying in a bio-bubble as there have been no reports of the bubble being broken, or any other significant irregularities.
India likely to hand a couple of debut caps on Wednesday
With almost nine cricketers including Krunal Pandya ruled out of the 2nd and 3rd T20I, the management will have to hand out a couple of debut caps to the youngsters. The likes of Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad are in the fringes waiting to step into international cricket.
The Men in Blue, who are 1-0 ahead in the series after winning the first match by 38 runs will hope to win the second game and seal the series ahead of the final game of the tour.
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