India vs England: What transpired earlier than fifth and closing Test was cancelled

Wednesday night: The Indian crew arrives in Manchester for the fifth Test and an RT-PCR take a look at is performed on every participant. Assistant physiotherapist Yogesh Parmar is a part of the crew conducting the assessments.
Thursday, round 10 am (BST): The gamers are knowledgeable on WhatsApp {that a} member of the contingent has examined optimistic, later revealed to be Parmar. Team supervisor Girish Dongre informs Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah. Parmar’s take a look at end result comes 4 days after head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar returned optimistic and had been remoted at The Oval, venue of the fourth Test. Team physio Nitin Patel was additionally in isolation however was allowed to journey with the crew to Manchester after three detrimental reviews.
Around 11 am: Seniors within the crew request Shah to tell the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that the gamers don’t need to play with the danger of turning into Covid-19 carriers. Shah has a video chat with captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane.
Around 12 midday: The crew administration decides to not have follow on the eve of the fifth Test and gamers are suggested to not meet anybody and keep of their rooms until additional discover. The BCCI begins negotiations with the ECB and informs its stand of not desirous to play. ECB insists on pushing the sport again by two days and finishing the five-Test collection. It additionally gives different choices to the BCCI.
Around 6 pm: Each participant is apprised of the scenario in a crew assembly. The seniors preserve that a number of of them don’t need to play with the concern of contracting the an infection, as physio Parmar has had shut contact with many of the gamers and handled them in the previous couple of days. The crew doesn’t need to have an effect on their participation within the upcoming Indian Premier League in addition to the T20 World Cup in any manner. Just a few members are fearful about their households. Players are knowledgeable that the BCCI is having back-channel discussions to type the difficulty out.
Around 9 pm: Another RT-PCR Test is performed on every particular person (all outcomes detrimental). Players aren’t knowledgeable whether or not the sport will probably be performed on Friday regardless of some asking in regards to the scenario. Shah continues to carry talks with the ECB, the place all choices are mentioned. The Indian board maintains that gamers’ security is paramount, and says that BCCI too needed to incur a loss in the course of the five-match T20I collection in opposition to England in March when followers had been barred for the final three video games in Ahmedabad resulting from an increase in Covid-19 circumstances.
Friday morning: A video name takes place between Shah, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, Kohli, Sharma and Rahane. The gamers inform that they’re on the identical web page and point out that England too had known as off their South Africa tour final 12 months halfway resulting from Covid issues and the BCCI can do the identical. The gamers don’t thoughts taking part in the fifth Test at a later time. BCCI assures that the choice will probably be taken in the very best curiosity of the board and everybody.
1:15 pm (IST): The ECB points a press release saying India was “unable to field a team and will instead forfeit the match”, however later modified the press launch to say that the fifth Test is cancelled. This is adopted by a joint press launch by BCCI and ECB which states that the sport will probably be performed at a later date.
2 pm: Via a WhatsApp group message gamers are knowledgeable that the match has been known as off and so they should come to the restaurant because the BCCI can not prepare breakfast of their rooms.
3 pm: Players are informed that they must be below isolation as BCCI is planning a flight to Dubai for the IPL.