Xtra Time Web Desk: Team India Head Coach Ravi Shastri along with bowling coach Bharat Arun, fielding coach R Sridhar and physio Nitin Patel will be finally allowed to leave UK on Wednesday (September 15), provided they have two negative RT-PCR reports before boarding the flight.
The four had tested positive for COVID-19 during the fourth Test at the Oval and they have been serving quarantine since September 4. Shastri, Arun and Sridhar are expected to complete their 10-day isolation period on Monday (September 13), but they must return negative RT-PCR reports before leaving UK.
According to reports, the other support staff members, except for assistant physio Yogesh Parmar, will be flying out on Monday afternoon by commercial flight via Dubai. Yogesh was tested positive on September 8 and he will have to complete his 10-day isolation before being able to fly back home.
After Yogesh’s COVID-19 result, the Indian players were anxious and were unwilling to take the field, resulting in the match being called off with the tourists leading the series 2-1 after four Tests.
BCCI, in its statement offered England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to reschedule the cancelled Test. However, ECB CEO Tom Harrison has made it clear that the proposed rescheduling would be a one-off game rather than a decider for the series.