Team India pass a major hurdle as they clear the COVID-19 test

Bengaluru, November 14: The Indian cricket team, currently in Australia for a 69-day tour comprising three One-day Internationals as many Twenty20s and four Tests cleared a major hurdle after the entire contingent tested negative for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Many of the 25-member jumbo squad currently in Australia including all-rounder Hardik Pandya had competed in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 which concluded in the UAE last week.

Mumbia Indians star Pandya, along with Delhi Daredevils opner Prithvi Shaw and Royal Challengers Bangalore speedster Mohammed Siraj, attended the outdoor training session session at Blacktown International Sports Park inside the Sydney Olympic Park.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) posted pictures of the outdoor training and a gym session on its official Twitter handle.

"Two days off the plane and #TeamIndia had their first outdoor session today. A bit of Person running to get the body moving! #AUSIND," the BCCI tweeted.

The Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue will officially begin their tour Down Under with a three-match ODI series at the Sydney Cricket Ground on November 27.

That will be followed by as many T20 Internationals and four Tests.

They began the tour in the right earnest by hitting the gym and doing some training outdoors.

The opening day/night pink-ball Test is scheduled to begin on December 17 at the Adelaide Oval

Kohli will return home after the opening Test, which ends on December 21. He has been granted paternity leave by the BCCI to be with his actor wife Anushka Sharma for the birth of their first child in early January.

The 32-year-old will miss the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne (December 26-30), New Year's Test in Sydney (January 7-11) and the final game at the Gabba (January 15-19).

Ajinkya Rahane will take over the captiancy from Kohli for the remainder of the Test series.