Rohit Sharma finally test Covid-negative, available for the 1st T20I against England: Indian regular skipper Rohit Sharma has finally tested covid-negative and is out of the controlled environment following days of isolation. A senior BCCI official has confirmed that the senior cricketer has returned covid-negative in the recent report and will be available for selection in the opening T20I game against England in Southampton.
“Yes, Rohit has tested negative and as per medical protocols is now out of quarantine. However, he is not playing today’s T20 warm-up game against Northamptonshire as he will need some recovery time and training ahead of the first T20I,” a senior BCCI official told PTI.
Notably, Rohit Sharma missed the ongoing rescheduled fifth Test match against England after testing covid-positive on day two of the warm-up match against Leicestershire. Initially, it was expected that Rohit Sharma will recover by the time of the test match, but his three consecutive covid positive reports forced the BCCI officials to appoint a new skipper for the test match.
Senior pacer Jasprit Bumrah was handed charge of the Indian team in Rohit’s absence, and the pacer has done a brilliant job so far. It won’t be wrong to say that Rohit’s covid has been a blessing in disguise for Bumrah, who now seems to be placed ahead of KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant in test vice-captaincy role.
Rohit Sharma didn’t feature in the T20 Warm-up match against Northamptonshire as the medical protocols provide him with a few days’ rest before he steps into the field for his intense training. As per the protocols, a player will have to undergo cardiovascular checkups to test the lung capacity and its functioning post covid.
Sharma will be available for selection for the opening T20I match against England, while his other test teammates will be available from the second T20I onwards.
The three-match T20I series against England will begin on July 7 at Rose Bowl, Southampton.
Down below is the T20I squad of both India and England.
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India’s T20I Squad:
1st T20I: Rohit Sharma (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Ishan Kishan, Venkatesh Iyer, Avesh Khan, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik
2nd and 3rd T20I: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik
England’s T20I Squad:
Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Richard Gleeson, Matthew Parkinson, Liam Livingstone, Tymal Mills, Harry Brook, Dawid Malan, Jason Roy, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Chris Jordon, David Willey
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