BCCI adds Mayank Agarwal to ODI squad after three players test positive for COVID-19

Mumbai, February 3, 2022

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has added Mayank Agarwal to India's ODI squad for the series against the West Indies after seven members, including three players, have tested positive for COVID-19.

The members were asked to report in Ahmedabad on January 31 for the Paytm three-match ODI and T20I series against the West Indies, which arrived in the city on Wednesday.

Every member was also asked to undergo an RT-PCR test at home before embarking on their journey to Ahmedabad and the travel was undertaken only after testing negative, a press release from the BCCI said.

According to the release, opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan and fast bowler Navdeep Saini, a standby player, got positive results for their RT-PCR tests conducted on Monday, January 31.

Fielding coach T. Dilip and Security Liaison Officer B. Lokesh’s RT-PCR tests conducted on Monday also returned positive results.

Batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad’s RT-PCR test conducted on Tuesday, February 1, also returned a positive result. He had tested negative during the first round of testing on Monday.

Batsman Shreyas Iyer and Sports Massage Therapist Rajeev Kumar’s RT-PCR tests conducted on Wednesday, February 2, have also returned positive results. Both had tested negative in the first two rounds of testing.

"The BCCI Medical team is handling the positive cases and they will remain in isolation till complete recovery is attained," the release added.

The white-ball series between West Indies and India will begin with three ODIs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad from February 6. It will be followed by three T20Is at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata starting from February 16.

NNN