In a big blow to the India Under-19 team’s campaign at the ongoing ICC U19 World Cup 2022 in West Indies, the skipper and vice-captain of the team along with four other players have tested positive for Covid-19 in Rapid Antigen Testing.
Yash Dhull, the captain of the side along with Shiekh Rasheed, his deputy, Aaradhya Yadav, Vasu Vats, Manav Parakh, and Siddharth Yadav were declared Covid positive just ahead of the team’s Group B clash against Ireland. In such tough circumstances, the team barely managed to field an XI.
“Three Indian players had tested positive yesterday and were already isolated. In the morning before the match our captain and vice-captain also tested positive in Rapid Antigen Test which is not (not considered) conclusive," a BCCI official was quoted as saying by PTI.
“So they, as a precautionary measure, were pulled out. The players included skipper Yash Dhull and his deputy Shaikh Rasheed. We only had 11 available players and six isolated," the official added.
According to ICC’s measures, “merely registering a positive PCR test result within a team will not result in the automatic postponement or cancellation of fixtures." Therefore it is most likely that India would play its next group stage game against Uganda scheduled for Saturday, January 22.
But the bigger question, is what would happen if even after six days, India is unable to get back its captain and vice-captain in playing condition ahead of the all-important quarterfinal clash? That decision would be taken by the ICC’s Bio-safety Scientific Advisory Group (BSAG).
As far as the match against Ireland is concerned, riding on the back of openers Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Harnoor Singh’s fifties and a quickfire 36* from Rajvardhan Hangargekar, the Nishant Sandhu led Indian team reached 307-5 in its 50 overs. In reply, Ireland were 1-0 in the second over at the time of publishing this copy.