Picture Credit: ICC
India U-19 skipper Yash Dhull, vice-captain Sheikh Rasheed and two other players - Sidharth Yadav and Aaradhya Yadav - have tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan 19. Meanwhile, Vasu Vats and Manav Parakh also showed symptoms which is why all six of them were ruled out of the World Cup game against Ireland on Wednesday.
The board released a statement and give a medical update of all the players in question. "The India U19 squad currently taking part in the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2022 have reported COVID-19 positive cases following RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Tests. Ahead of their second Group B clash against Ireland U19 on Wednesday morning, six members out of the 17-member squad were ruled out of selection.
The medical status of the six members is as follows:
1. Sidharth Yadav - RT-PCR Test result has returned positive.
2. Manav Parakh - Has shown symptoms. His RT-PCR test result is awaited. Rapid Antigen Test result has returned negative.
3. Vasu Vats - Has shown symptoms. His RT-PCR test result is awaited. Rapid Antigen Test result has returned negative.
4. Yash Dhull - Rapid Antigen Test result has returned positive.
5. Aaradhya Yadav - Rapid Antigen Test result has returned positive
6. SK Rasheed - Rapid Antigen Test result has returned positive
"Three Indian players had tested positive yesterday and were already isolated. In the morning before the match our captain and vice-captain also tested positive in Rapid Antigen Test which is not conclusive," a BCCI official told PTI.
"So they, as a precautionary measure, were pulled out. The players included skipper Yash Dhull and his deputy Shaikh Rasheed. We only had 11 available players and six isolated," the official added.
In the absence of Dhull, Nishant Sindhu led the team. Notably, India are scheduled to play Uganda on Saturday and it is not yet confirmed whether the match will take place or not.
Talking about the game, India U-19 posted a big total of 307 runs against Ireland in the ongoing Group B match. Openers Angkrish Raghuvanshi (79) and Harnoor Singh (88) played a brilliant knock to take India past 300.