Michael Vaughan fears for fate of India-England Test series after Rishabh Pant tests COVID-19 positive

London, July 15: The Indian cricket team has been hit by COVID-19 after reports emerged that wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and two other members of the staff tested positive for the deadly pandemic.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan on Thursday (July 15) raised concerns over the upcoming five-Test series between India and England and said a change to COVID-19 related isolation laws is the need of the hour. Vaughan's comments came after Pant went in isolation for the last eight days after testing positive.

"I fear for the 100 & the Indian Test series unless the isolation laws change .. we are bound to have cases as is the case with @RishabhPant17.. plus further down the line I fear the Ashes could be hugely affected with players pulling out unless bubbles/quarantine rules change!" Vaughan wrote on Twitter.

Rishabh Pant, throw-down specialist Dayand test positive for Covid 19, Saha, 2 more in isolation

Vaughan, however, didn't specify what changes he would like to see in the current quarantine rules for cricketing teams.

Pant - who like every other member of the Indian side was on a 20-day break in the UK before preparing for the five-Test series - will not be travelling with the Indian squad to Durham where the Virat Kohli-led Indian team will play a practice match before taking on England next month.

The Indian team was given a break after the World Test Championship against New Zealand. Later in the day, reports emerged of India's throwdown specialist Dayanand Garani also tested positive for COVID-19.

The Indian team is due to take on England in a five-match Test series starting August 4. It will play a practice game starting July 20 as a build-up to the high-intensity series. The India-England showdown marks the beginning of the second cycle of the World Test Championship.

Recently, the England team too was hit by the virus and was forced to field an altogether different XI in a limited-overs series against Pakistan.

(With PTI inputs)