Australian cricketer Peter Handscomb tests positive for COVID-19 while in England

Australian cricketer Peter Handscomb has tested positive for COVID-19 disease. According to The West Australian, Handscomb is currently in England for County Championship, where he is leading the Middlesex team. Handscomb tested positive on Sunday ahead of Middlesex's game against Leicestershire. The 30-year-old Australian has been replaced by Irishman Tim Murtagh as captain of the side. Handscomb had last played for Australia in July 2019 in the World Cup semi-final against England. 

England is currently witnessing a rise in fresh COVID-19 cases with another County side hit by the disease last week. English County side Kent on Sunday was forced to put its entire team in isolation after a player returned a positive result following their match against Surrey on July 9. The players are expected to remain under quarantine for at least 10 days before they could be allowed to rejoin the club. England's main ODI squad also suffered a blow recently as seven of its members, including three players, tested positive for COVID-19, forcing Three Lions to field a new-look side for their series against Pakistan. 

Handscomb left out from Australia squad

As far as Handscomb is concerned, the Hobart Hurricanes batsman has played 16 Tests and 22 ODIs for Australia since his debut in 2016. Handscomb has 934 runs in Test cricket, which he scored at an average of 38.91, including 2 centuries and 4 half-centuries. The right-handed batsman also has 632 runs in the 50-over format, which he scored at an average of 33.26, including 1 century and 4 half-centuries. 

Most recently, Handscomb missed out on the selection for the West Indies series as he was not picked by the selectors to play in the white-ball clash. The Australian team is in the Caribbean to play a five-match T20I series and three-match ODI series. Australia is currently 2-0 down in the T20I clash as it lost the first two games against the defending champions West Indies. 

(Image Credit: ICC/Website)