Andrew McDonald, the newly-appointed Head Coach of the Australia Men’s team, will be missing the opening week of his side’s tour of Sri Lanka after testing positive for COVID-19. The 40-year-old tested positive for the virus on Tuesday, a day before Australia’s T20 squad’s departure to Sri Lanka. He will isolate in Melbourne for seven days and join the team in Colombo ahead of the second T20 on June 8.
“Australian men’s team head coach Andrew McDonald has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be delayed in travelling to Sri Lanka for the start of the T20I series,” Cricket Australia said on Wednesday.
Assistant coach Michael Di Venuto will guide the T20 side in his absence.
“Michael Di Venuto will coach the Australian men’s T20 side before Andrew McDonald re-joins the squad at the conclusion of seven days of isolation,” CA added.
Also Read: Biggest mistakes made in IPL 2022
The former test all-rounder served as an assistant since 2019. After the departure of Justin Langer on February 5, McDonald was elevated to the position of interim coach. He spearheaded the historic Test series victory in Pakistan.
Also Read: Australian cricketers face their busiest season ever
In April, he was appointed as the Head Coach and the Sri Lanka series will be his first series since being appointed full-time to the role.
Australia tour of Sri Lanka:
June 7: 1st T20, Colombo
June 8: 2nd T20, Colombo
June 11: 3rd T20, Kandy.
June 14: 1st ODI, Kandy
June 16: 2nd ODI, Kandy
June 19: 3rd ODI, Colombo
June 21: 4th ODI, Colombo
June 24: 5th ODI, Colombo
June 29-July 3: 1st test, Galle
July 8-12: 2nd test test, Galle
–
Australia A matches
June 8: 1st one-day game, Colombo
June 10: 2nd one-day game, Colombo
June 14-17: First-class tour match Hambantota
June 21-24: First-class tour match, Hambantota
