It has now emerged that Rishabh Pant has been tested positive for Covid 19. He will not be travelling with the Indian team to Durham for the practice game and instead he will quarantine himself in his hotel room. Apart from Pant, three support staff have also been found positive. It is one thing if they were careful and still tested positive for the virus but it is irresponsible if the players themselves were careless. Let me pour my frustration about the irresponsible player and support staff.
It is not immediately clear who are the support staff who are infected and how were they infected. Hence, I will not be discussing about them. I will stick to Rishabh Pant.
Break is much needed and essential
We all know that the Indian team has been in a prolonged lockdown inside the bubble. As such they need a break. The team had reached England on June 3rd for the WTC finals. Between the end of the finals and the start of the first test against England, there is a six weeks gap. This is too long to be confined inside a bubble especially when normal life seems to have returned in England. Hence, the players were given 20 days break to go out of the bubble and meet their friends and acquaintances. It was a welcome and much needed break. I supported this move because after the loss in the WTC finals, it is important for the players rejuvenate themselves and come back stronger for the England series.
The players must be extra careful
The onus once the players are out of the bubble, lies squarely with the players and the support staff. They must have been much more careful, now that they are out in the open and are vulnerable for being infected with the virus.
However, by the looks of it, it seems some of the players and the head coach weren’t that responsible. Wimbledon Tennis Championship and Euro 2021 Football tournament were held to packed stadium. It was shocking to see more than 90% of the spectators without mask. Agreed, UK have asked their citizens not to wear a mask if they are vaccinated. However, the crowd was so high, it hardly matters whether someone is fully vaccinated. Even if one person had the virus, it will spread drastically.
In such a scenario, having gone there to England to play a full series, it is the basic requirement for the Indian players to be careful. However, the head coach, Ravi Shastri, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah were seen watching Wimbledon and Euro from the stadium and that too without a mask and within the close proximity of others. This is criminal negligence. Especially, the coach who must lead by example.
The classic case of Rishabh Pant
Pant being one of the mainstay of the Indian team ought to have been extra careful. No one would have had any qualms if he had gone to England on his personal capacity. In that case, he is free to visit wherever he wants to. That wasn’t the case. He went to England as part of the Indian team who are about to embark on an important series. A series that is tough to win. A country where over the last 3 series, the Indians were annihilated.
Having lost the WTC finals, the Indian team must win the series to regain some of the lost fans. They need every important player to be fit and fine. As we know, this virus affects the health of anyone who contracts it. It literally means that Pant’s fitness is compromised and he may not be physically fit to take on the might of England. The worst fear will be realised if he had infected few other players who turns up being unfit for a major part of the series.
How stupid is Saurav Ganguly.
“We have seen Euro Championship and Wimbledon in England. Rules have changed (with crowd being allowed inside venues). They were on leave and it’s physically impossible to wear mask all the time.”
Does Ganguly even think while speaking? Ever since, he lost his captaincy, most of the time all he does is he rambles on without making any sense. If the board president is of this opinion, tough luck on the team.
It is perfectly alright to visit the tourist attractions or visit some waterfalls like Ishant Sharma. Those areas are likely to be less crowded. Maintaining social distance will naturally be possible but to visit crowded stadiums when the pandemic is still raging, is downright stupidity and pure negligence.
Well done Ashwin
Ashwin instead did the unthinkable. He went away and played a county game for Surrey. This was actually good preparation. The fact that he was among the wickets was an added bonus. If Ashwin has a major impact on the series, thank Surrey for giving him the chance. It is another matter how Surrey agreed for Ashwin to play only one game is beyond me.
Conclusion
I do not advocate any action to be taken against any of them but they must be severely warned. They could have easily jeopardised the team’s chance in the series with more infections.
The Indian team can only hope that Pant and the support staff have not infected the rest. Now that the players have returned and are inside one more bubble, such crassness must not be encouraged.
Other topics to read while the team is in England.