South African team who returned from India symptom-free of COVID-19

After rain washed out the first ODI, scheduled on March 12 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, the three-match series between India and South Africa was called off due to the COVID-19 threat. However, the players stayed in India for five more days and left from Kolkata, as was planned, on March 18. 

Meanwhile, South Africa is in the midst of a 21-day nationwide lockdown, which prohibits leaving home except to buy food or medicine and does not allow for any outdoor exercise. The players then completed a 14-day period of self-isolation, on Thursday, but will remain in lockdown for the next two weeks as advised by the government. While there were no symptoms of the coronavirus seen in the players, those who underwent the test were tested negative.

“All the players were symptom-free and those who opted to perform the tests returned negative results,” Manjra was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

Meanwhile, Cricket South Africa is focusing on maintaining the players’ fitness and trainer Tumi Masekela has sent all the players their training programmes.

“We’ve got time now to work with players in terms of addressing the small niggles that they may have. They have got time to rest and also to do the strength work. But the one big thing is the running volume, the aerobic capacity base, which I am going to try and build up in the next two weeks, so that means lot of running, or a lot of cardio work, cycling or swimming,” Masekela said.