Rishabh Pant, Team India support staff member tests positive for Covid-19 ahead of Test series vs England

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<strong>Not just wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant but a support-staff member of the Indian cricket team,  training assistant and throwdown specialist Dayanand Garani, too has tested positive for Covid-19 as the Virat Kohli led squad begins preparation for the upcoming five-match Test series against England.  <br />
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The Indian players, on a three-week break after the conclusion of the ICC World Test Championship final held in Southampton against New Zealand, left for Durham today where they'll be playing a three-day warm-up game against County XI starting Tuesday.<br />
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BCCI said that Pant had tested positive on July 8 and is nearing completion of his self-quarantine period. The board said that he had not stayed in the team hotel during the break period, is asymptomatic and currently undergoing self-isolation at the place where he reported positive.<br />
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"He is being closely monitored by the BCCI Medical Team and is on his way to recovery. He will be able to join the squad in Durham after returning two negative RT-PCR tests," the board informed today.  <br />
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The BCCI Medical Team have identified bowling coach B. Arun, wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and opener Abhimanyu Easwaran as close contacts of Garani, who was in the team hotel when he tested positive following RT-PCR tests on Wednesday. The four personnel will undergo 10-day isolation and will remain in their respective rooms in the team hotel in London.<br />
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The entire Indian contingent including travelling family members and caretakers were administered with the second dose of covid vaccine earlier this month in London. To mitigate any further risks, the Indian contingent is taking the Lateral Flow Test on a daily basis.</p>