BCCI President Sourav Ganguly on Thursday said that he wasn’t sure if the 5th Test match between India and England, scheduled from Friday, will be taking place after an Indian physio tested positive for the coronavirus. Last week, head coach Ravi Shastri and three other support staff members tested positive for the virus, forcing the team to cancel its Thursday’s practice session. The RT-PCR test reports of the players are still awaited.

“We don’t know if match will happen at the moment. Hopefully we can get some game,” Ganguly said on Thursday at the book launch of ‘Mission Domination’ in Kolkata.

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India’s main physio Nitin Patel is already in isolation after Shastri contracted the virus during the Oval Test. With junior physio Yogesh Parmar also testing positive for the virus, the team is left without a physio. 

Reports stated that the BCCI has asked England and Wales Cricket Board to spare a physio.

“The results of the RT-PCR tests (of players) are expected later in the day depending on which the fate of the game will be decided,” PTI reported, quoting a BCCI source. 

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Meanwhile, the players have been asked to remain in their respective rooms as RT-PCR testing is being carried out. 

All the players and the support staff are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus but are are not operating in strict bio-bubbles with life in UK almost back to normal.

Shastri may have got the symptoms after attending a book launch event in the team hotel where outside guests were also allowed. The other three staff members who tested positive also attended the function in person.

“Since there are no restrictions in the UK, outside guests were allowed during Shastri’s book launch party. You feel for Bharath Arun. This is the second time, that he has to be isolated because someone else has tested positive. Last time it was Dayanand Garani, the masseur,” a BCCI source had told PTI. 

India lead the five-match series against England 2-1.