Sri Lanka vs India series rescheduled following COVID cases in SL camp

India’s tour of Sri Lanka has been rescheduled in the wake of two members from the hosts camp – batting coach Grant Flower and data analyst GT Niroshan – returning positive tests of Covid-19 over the last two days.

The two teams are set to play a total of six white-ball games – three ODIs and as many T20Is – starting July 13 in Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium behind closed doors, but the positive cases in the Lankan camp have thrown the series into tatters for now. The hiccup albeit is not too major, as the series is rescheduled with the ODIs now set to take place on July 17, 19 and 21, followed by the T20Is on July 24, 25 and 27, as reported by ESPNcricinfo. Meanwhile, the squad will now have to serve a longer period in isolation.

As per the original schedule, the three ODIs were to be played from July 13 to 18 followed by the three T20Is, scheduled from July 21 to 25 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Sri Lanka’s batting coach Grant Flower had returned a positive test on July 8, only a day before GT Niroshan tested positive as SLC conducted tests for all players, support staff members, and coaches in accordance with the government guidelines.

Source of Covid-19 contraction remains unknown

While where did Sri Lankan stakeholders contracted the virus from remains unknown, it is believed that a possible let in could have been during the team’s England tour, where no less than seven members – three players and other support staff – tested Covid-19 positive, forcing England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to rename a fresh 18-man squad for the Pakistan ODI series.

Since arriving in their country after the England tour, the team members and support staff has been asked to self-isolate themselves. After Flower catching the virus, the SLC instructed the players and members to not step out of their rooms until further notice.

Notably, three Sri Lankan players – Sri Lanka’s vice-captain Kusal Mendis, wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella and batsman Danushka Gunathilaka – were found breaching bio-secure bubble of the team during the same series, when they were shot by a Durham locale, leading SLC to immediately fly them back to Sri Lanka.