Spin-bowling Indian all-rounder Axar Patel has tested positive for Covid-19. The player hasn't yet joined the Indian camp in Ahmedabad. Axar is the 5th player in the Indian team to have contracted the virus, as per multiple reports. Earlier on Wednesday, four other players had returned positive RT-PCR tests.The list includes players like Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer and Navdeep Saini. However, unlike Axar, the quartet is already in Ahmedabad for the West Indies assignment. Axar was chosen in the Indian squad only for the T20I series. The left-arm spinner isn't a part of the ODI squad in the Indian team. Hence, he didn't join the Indian camp in Ahmedabad along with the others.
This is for the second time that Axar has been tested positive. The last time, the spinner took quite a while test negative.The 3-match T20I series between India and West Indies begins on February 16. Hence, the player is expected to recover in time to be fit and available for the series. In the wake of the Covid-19 situation in India, the Gujarat State Cricket Association has decided to hold the ODI series between India and West Indies behind closed doors.“We are all set to host the West Indies Tour of India ODI Series 2022. 1st ODI on 6th of Feb will be a very special and historic match as India will be playing its 1000th ODI. The Indian team will be the first cricket team in the world to achieve this feat. Considering the current situation, all the matches will be played behind closed doors,” the state cricket body had tweeted on Wednesday.
