IND vs AUS | Team India members test negative for Covid-19; begin training

Members of the Indian cricket team who are a part of the tour of Australia have cleared their first mandatory Covid-19 Test and have subsequently begun training outdoors. The 32-member squad, led by skipper Virat Kohli, on the back of the conclusion of the IPL, landed in Sydney on Thursday and are currently in midst of the mandatory 14-day quarantine that they are expected to serve. Despite clearing the first mandatory Covid-19 Test, members will be required to complete all 14 days of their quarantine, during which they will be allowed to train outdoors and perform other routine tasks.

Part of the group that did not train on Saturday are Rohit and Ishant Sharma, both of whom are still back home in India, waiting to be given the go ahead by NCA’s medical staff. It remains to be seen when the duo will join with the squad but other members are expected to be given a ‘significant amount of freedom’ to move around the city upon the completion of their 14-day quarantine period.

The turnaround time post the completion of the 14-day quarantine will be all but nonexistent as the players will take to the field immediately, with the tour set to begin with the first of the three ODIs in Sydney on November 27. The visitors will play a three-match T20I series upon the conclusion of the ODIs, after which they will move on to the much-awaited Tests. Team India are also scheduled to play a couple of warm-up games against Australia A prior to the Test series.