England's sold-out final Test against India is CALLED OFF
Daily MailEngland's fifth and final Test against India will NOT go ahead at Old Trafford today after the tourists sensationally refused to play. India recorded a fourth positive Covid test among their backroom staff late this week England's players were left in limbo until the fifth Test was called off on Friday morning Ex-India international Dinesh Karthik tweeted the news to his followers early on Friday England Cricket's Twitter then confirmed the shock news that the Test had been cancelled That led to a day of uncertainty and confusion with India cancelling their training session at Old Trafford and being consigned to their rooms at Manchester's Radisson Hotel before undergoing another round of PCR tests. The stands at Old Trafford will remain empty today despite all tickets being sold out A message on a big screen at Old Trafford confirms the decision to cancel the fifth Test The news comes after India head coach Ravi Shastri tested positive for the virus on Sunday Shastri and his bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar tested positive after that function and remain in isolation in London. Stewards were the only people present at Old Trafford on Friday morning after the news broke England's players had been training without knowing whether play will go ahead this week After a fourth member of India's staff tested positive, the players were confined to their hotel Vikrant Gupta, managing editor of Indian news channel Sports Tak, took to Twitter to claim that the final Test could be played next year - and that India haven't yet be crowned winners of the series.