IND vs ENG | Ravi Shastri tests positive for Covid-19, in isolation along with Bharat Arun, R Sridhar and Nitin Patel

Ravi Shastri, head coach of the Indian men's cricket team, has tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday, BCCI confirmed in an official statement released ahead of the Day 4 of the team's ongoing fourth Test match aganst England at The Oval. 

Following the positive result, the board's medical team has isolated Shastri and three other supports staffs in Bharat Arun, R Sridhar and Nitin Pate. 

"The BCCI Medical Team has isolated Mr Ravi Shastri, Head Coach, Mr B. Arun, Bowling Coach, Mr R. Sridhar, Fielding Coach and Mr Nitin Patel, Physiotherapist as a precautionary measure after Mr Shastri’s lateral flow test returned positive last evening," BCCI said in its statement on Sunday. 

"They have undergone RT-PCR testing and shall remain in the team hotel and not travel with Team India until confirmation from the medical team.  

The remaining members of the Team India contingent underwent two Lateral Flow Tests – one last night and another this morning. The members upon returning negative COVID reports were allowed to proceed for Day 4 of the ongoing fourth Test at The Oval," the board added. 

Earlier, during the 21-day break after the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and throw-down specialist Dayanand Garani had contracted the deadly virus. Bharat Arun, Wriddhiman Saha and Abhimanyu Easwaran were identified as close contacts of Garani and were isolated in Durham.