"It just shook the cricket world one more time" - Aakash Chopra on positive COVID-19 Test results in the England squad
Aakash Chopra has said that the positive COVID-19 Test results in the England limited-overs squad have shaken the cricketing fraternity one more time.
The English are scheduled to play six limited-overs internationals against Pakistan, starting with the first ODI on July 8. The ECB had to name a new squad under the leadership of Ben Stokes for the series after seven positive cases in their original contingent.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that the unfortunate news has sent shockwaves in the cricketing community again.
The former India cricketer said:
"The news of the players testing COVID-positive, it just shook the cricket world one more time. This a regular thing now, something or the other keeps shocking us. Here, although they have not revealed the names, three players and four back-room staff have been found COVID-positive. The entire team has been kept in isolation and a new team has been announced."
Apart from Ben Stokes, the other prominent names in England's replacement squad include Dawid Malan, Zak Crawley, Dan Lawrence and James Vince.
Aakash Chopra on the reason behind the England players testing positive
Aakash Chopra highlighted that there is a vast difference between the bio-secure bubbles in which teams were kept in the last English summer and the 'safe' environment that has been created this time around. He elaborated:
"What is the reason behind this? I was listening to Ashley Giles. He said earlier it was a bio-secure environment, which was very strict. But this summer, they were trying to deal with the virus in a slightly different way. If it was a bio-secure environment, this was a safe environment. There is a huge difference."
While acknowledging that certain restrictions are still in place, the 43-year-old observed that they are not as strict as the previous ones. Aakash Chopra explained:
"Earlier your hotel was at the ground but now you are traveling across the country. You are staying in a hotel where other guests are also staying although you don't use the pool, don't go to the gym when others are there and there are designated eating places, which are not shared. But then, it was not that stringent a bio-secure environment."
Aakash Chopra signed off by stating that the prevailing conditions have forced countries to keep a backup squad ready in case of exigencies. In this regard, he said:
"This has become a strange reality. You have to prepare teams equivalent to almost two squads so that if there is a problem in one, the second squad will actually take over."
There are nine uncapped players in England's new 18-member squad for the ODI series against Pakistan.