Rishabh Pant’s dentist visit identified as possible source of infection; was fully vaccinated on July 7

KEY STORY

• The 3-week break in England for Indian cricketers came at the cost of Rishabh Pant and throw-down specialist Dayanand Garani contracting the novel coronavirus. While the exact source of infection isn’t known, Pant’s recent dentist visit has been identified as a potential point from where the wicket-keeper might have contracted the virus.

• The wicket-keeper batsman has been in quarantine for the past 8 days, having tested positive for the virus on July 08. As per a report in the Times of India, Pant had paid a visit to a dentist in London on July 05 and 06, and might have picked up the virus there.

• On July 07, Pant as well as the other members of the Indian team along with their family members, were given the second dose of vaccination in London. Just a day later, on July 08, Pant tested positive for the virus.

• “Pant had gone to a dentist on July 5 and 6, and could have picked the virus from the clinic. On July 7, he had been vaccinated,” a source told TOI.

• Pant had also gone to the Wembley Stadium on June 29 when England took on Germany in a Euro 2020 match. Questions have been raised over this visit of Pant too.

• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah said put light on the topic as he said, “Pant, who had not stayed in the team hotel during the break period, tested positive on July 8. He is asymptomatic and currently undergoing self-isolation at the place where he reported positive. He is being closely monitored by the BCCI medical team and is on his way to recovery. He will be able to join the squad in Durham after returning two negative RT-PCR tests.”

  Pant and Saha out of practice Test

   

• The current situation puts both Pant and Wriddhiman Saha — as a close-contact of Garani and has been put into quarantine — unavailable for India’s 3-match practice Test against Select County XI in Durham from July 20. In such a situation, KL Rahul is all but set to take up the job behind the stumps for Team India in the whites for the first time.

• “Both Pant and Saha will be unavailable for the team’s practice game against Combined County XI at Chester-le-Street at Durham from July 20, which means KL Rahul should be going the glovework in that game. However, Pant should be able to make it to the team’s second practice match – an intra-squad game from July 28,” a source told TOI.

CONCLUSION

• While the entire Indian unit in England has been fully vaccinated, Jay Shah also revealed that the contingent is also taking the Lateral Flow Test (LFT) on a daily basis to further reduce the risk of the virus causing any serious trouble.

• “The entire Indian contingent including travelling family members and caretakers were administered with the second dose of Covid vaccine earlier this month in London. To mitigate any further risks, the Indian contingent is taking the Lateral Flow Test on a daily basis,” the BCCI secretary said in his statement.

• While England are doing away with all Covid-19 restrictions, Shah has advised each member of the contingent to personally take precautions and avoid going to crowded places.