India return negative tests, final match to go ahead

(Reuters) - The fifth test between England and India will begin as scheduled at Old Trafford today with the visitors returning negative COVID-19 tests after a member of their support staff tested positive, British media reported yesterday.

India’s practice session before the final test was cancelled yesterday after an Indian cricket board official requesting anonymity confirmed that second physiotherapist Yogesh Parmar had tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Wednesday.

However, British media reports said the match would go ahead after the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed there were no further positive cases in the Indian camp.

England vice-captain Jos Buttler had sounded hopeful that the game would go ahead.

“It would be naive to speculate too much on stuff I don’t know about,” the wicketkeeper-batsman, who missed the fourth test to attend the birth of his second child, told reporters.

“Presently we are fully expecting the game to go ahead and we’re preparing. Fingers crossed, the game will go ahead.

“Things are all fine in our camp. We trained well this morning, looking forward to the game tomorrow.”

India head coach Ravi Shastri tested positive during the fourth test at The Oval and has since been isolating with bowling coach Bharat Arun, fielding coach R Sridhar and physio Nitin Patel.

India lead the five-test series 2-1 after winning the Oval match by 157 runs.