Sri Lanka Cricket will heave a sigh of relief. All the main team players have got Covid negative reports in their latest RT-PCR tests. The news comes as a big relief for the SLC ahead of the limited overs home series against India.
The start of the One Day International series, to be followed by three T20 Internationals, was postponed from July 13 to July 18 after Sri Lanka’s batting coach Grant Flower and video analyst were found infected with the virus.
The Sri Lankan players are now expected to enter the bio-bubble tomorrow following the week-long quarantine after arrival from England.
The Sri Lankan team is expected to start practice at the R Premadas Stadium. The Indian team is training at the Singhalese Sports Club ground.
The Sri Lankan first team, including senior players Kusal Perera, Dushmantha Chameera and Dhananjaya de Silva, have all returned negative in their latest RT-PCR tests ahead of the limited overs series against India.
The tests were conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket.
“Normally, the moment we get any positive result we announce. There has been another round of RT-PCR tests conducted yesterday and the results were supposed to come today. We only get the results if there is any positive cases,” PTI has quoted an SLC source as saying.
“Since we haven’t got any positive report, which we normally receive by mid day, it can be presumed that all players have tested negative,” he added.
“If all goes well, the UK-returned players would be able to come out of their hard quarantine (room isolation) and enter the bio-bubble. The robust testing is expected to continue as per norms (every third or fifth day),” he informed.
Once the players get to enter the bio-bubble, they can at least meet each other in their rooms and also start using the gymnasium in a staggered manner.
The outdoor training and skills session (net practice) is also expected to start in the next 48 hours.
Asked about the health status of batting coach Flower and analyst Niroshan, both of whom have tested positive on return from the UK, the source said that there hasn’t been any deterioration in their health or medical parameters.
“Grant and Niroshan are at an isolation facility as per protocols. Both are asymptomatic and doing fine as of now. There hasn’t been any deterioration of health as per our knowledge. They will complete their stipulated isolation period,” he said.
The official is confident that there won’t be any more hiccups before the opening ODI on July 18.
