Team India returns from Sri Lanka| Indian cricket team return to India without Krunal Pandya Yuzvendra Chahal Krishnappa Gowtham| India tour of Sri Lanka 2021| India vs Sri Lanka| Covid positive Indian cricketers|

Shikhar Dhawan-led India limited overs team reached Bengaluru from Sri Lanka on Friday evening without Krishnappa Gautam, Yuzvendra Chahal and Krunal Pandya who were infected with the corona virus. Gautam and Chahal were among the eight players who were in isolation after Krunal became Kovid-19 positive. Gautam and Yuzvendra Chahal were found to be Kovid-19 positive in the pre-departure test due to which they will have to stay in Sri Lanka.

A BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity, “Yugi (Chahal) and Gautam have tested positive, the team was to return to Bengaluru by charter flight without Krunal Pandya.” But according to the rules, Gautam and Yuji will now have to live in isolation for seven days in Sri Lanka. This team has reached Bangalore.

The source said, “They will take flights from Bengaluru to their respective cities. They will get the necessary break after spending more than six weeks inside the bio-bubble in Mumbai and Colombo.” Each member was to undergo RT-PCR test before boarding the flight to return. Gautam and Chahal were also found positive who were believed to be close contacts of Krunal.

Six other cricketers – Hardik Pandya, Manish Pandey, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Prithvi Sau and Deepak Chahar had left home after the test came negative. All nine players were together after the first match of the T20I series and then on July 27, the day of the second T20I, Krunal was found to be COVID-19 positive. The match had to be postponed for a day and eight of his close contacts were also put under isolation.

It is learned that BCCI secretary Jay Shah took a special initiative to ensure that all these players remain in isolation till the negative test report comes. His decision proved to be correct as Gautam and Chahal were negative in the investigation on Tuesday but today their report came positive.
Sau and Surya are scheduled to fly to the UK where they will join the team in place of Avesh Khan and Washington Sundar who were injured. It is understood that both the players will remain in strict isolation in Nottingham itself. The Indian team’s practice session in Durham came to an end on Friday. The team will leave for Nottingham from here.