BCCI scolds players for hanging out in public after Rohit's positive Covid test: Report

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly reprimanded some Indian players over their tendency to roam around in the public. This comes after Indian skipper Rohit Sharma tested positive for COVID-19 and had to withdraw from the warm-up game against Leicestershire midway last week. A source from the BCCI told news agency ANI that the board has scolded some players and has advised them to take precautions ahead of the one-off Test against England. 

BCCI reprimands players

Rohit Sharma returned a positive COVID-19 test on Saturday and had to be isolated at the team hotel. Given that there is a five-day required isolation policy in the United Kingdom for people who test positive for COVID-19, Rohit's participation in the lone Test against England appears unlikely. Despite Rohit's positive result, a few Indian players were observed openly disobeying COVID-19 rules by taking pictures with supporters and wandering in public. The BCCI reprimanded the players for this and asked them to take safety precautions.

"The board has scolded some players over their habit of hanging out in public. It also seems some players went in public and clicked pictures with fans, which could be dangerous. We had told them to stay careful but they still often roamed around in the city which is not required, so we asked them again to take precautions," the BCCI source was quoted as saying by ANI. 

Earlier, Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was spotted clicking pictures with fans, who had come to watch the practice game against Leicestershire. Former India skipper Virat Kohli was also seen clicking picture with a supporter in the streets of Leicestershire. Kohli was roaming in public when a fan spotted him and requested a selfie.  

Meanwhile, the practice game between India and Leicestershire ended in a draw on Sunday. Indian players Shubman Gill, KS Bharat, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja finished as top performers in the warm-up game. The one-off Test between India and England is scheduled to take place from July 1 to July 5. The match is part of a series that India and England played last summer. India are currently 2-1 ahead in the series. 

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