The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has reportedly written a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC), urging it to decide the fate of the cancelled fifth Test against India at Old Trafford.
The ECB has meanwhile, hinted that it was writing to the global body as the two boards are far from reaching a settlement on the matter.
The ECB wants the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee to resolve the issue beside expecting that a forfeiture would be granted so that they can claim insurance as it will possibly suffer a loff aroun 40 million pound if the match is declared abandoned due to Covid-19.
Notably, if the global body declares the fifth and final Test as abandoned, India will win the series 2-1 but if England get a forfeiture as per the DRC ruling, it will be a 2-2 verdict and the host nation can also claim insurance.
On the other hand, if the issue comes in favour of India, ECB will most likley stands to incur huge losses as most of the 40 million pound is not covered under Covid insurance.
Meanwhile, after the cancellation of the fifth Test, the Indian-IPL bound cricketers have already left UK and most of them have reached UAE to partivipate in the remainder of the 2021 season.
Earlier, the series-deciding fifth and final Test in Manchester’s Olf Trafford was called-off after a Covid outbreak in the Indian camp due to which the visitors were unable to field a team.
Issuing a statement, the ECB had said: “Following ongoing conversations with the BCCI, the ECB can confirm that the fifth LV= Insurance Test between England and India Men due to start today at Emirates Old Trafford, will be canceled.”
“Due to fears of a further increase in the number of COVID cases inside the camp, India are unable to field a team and will instead regrettably forfeit the match. We send our sincere apologies to fans and partners for this news, which we know will cause immense disappointment and inconvenience to many. Further information will be shared in due course,” the statement had added.
The development came on the back of intense discussions between the Indian cricket board (BCCI) and the ECB after India’s assistant physiotherapist Yogesh Parmar returned a positive Covid-19 test on Thursday.
It is also learnt that more than one India player had expressed concerns about taking the field in talks between the BCCI and the team management over the last two days.
Earlier, Parmar was the fourth member of the Indian support staff to test positive for Covid-19 after head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R. Sridhar tested positive last week in London.
Parmar has been in close contact with many of the players, especially those like Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara who had complained of pain during the fourth Test at the Oval.
After the first Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham resulted in a draw, the Virat Kohli-led Team India won the second Test at Lord’s by 151 runs before the home side made a comeback in the third affair, winning it by an innings and 76 runs at Headingley, Leeds.
The visitors however, took a 2-1 lead in the fourth Test at Kennington Oval, London after registering an impressive 157-run victory.