England team infected by virus on the eve of Rawalpindi Test; 14 members of touring party stay indoors

As
per
media
reports,
the
infected
members
of
the
English
squad
were
on
Wednesday
(November
30)
advised
to
stay
inside
their
hotel
room
and
rest.
Only
five
members
of
the
Ben
Stokes-led
side
came
out
to
practice
in
the
nets.

As
per
a
BBC
report,
the
symptoms
of
those
affected
are
not
related
to
Covid-19
and
the
management
is
hopeful
of
recovery
within
24
hours.
The
match
starts
Thursday
(December
1)
in
Rawalpindi.

If
the
players
do
not
recover
within
24
hours
then
the
match
might
begin
a
day
late.
The
officials
of
the
England
Cricket
Board
and
Pakistan
Cricket
Board
are
in
talks
about
the
same.

Earlier
in
the
day,
the
visitors
announced
their
playing
XI
for
the
first
Test
and
announced
all-rounder
Liam
Livingstone
will
be
making
his
debut
in
the
red-ball
format.

Livingstone
will
bat
at
number
eight
in
Rawalpindi
after
seeing
off
competition
from
Will
Jacks,
as
well
as
offering
a
spin-bowling
option
for
Ben
Stokes’ side.

Meanwhile,
another
significant
change
sees
Ben
Duckett
come
in
for
his
first
Test
appearance
since
2016,
replacing
Alex
Lees
at
the
top
of
the
batting
order.

Asked
about
Livingstone’s
qualities,
Stokes
highlighted
the
way
his
style
fits
the
aggressive
philosophy
of
head
coach
Brendon
McCullum.

“He’s
one
of
those
cricketers
who
can
come
on
from
anywhere
and
take
a
wicket
when
the
ball’s
flowing
the
opposition’s
way,”
Stokes
said.

“It
was
a
pretty
simple
conversation
I
had
with
him,
actually
before
we
went
out
to
Australia
for
the
[T20]
World
Cup.
I
obviously
told
him
where
we
stood
in
terms
of
him
playing
some
red-ball
cricket
out
in
the
subcontinent.

“With
the
skill
he
has
with
the
ball
and
the
way
he
plays
with
the
bat,
[he]
is
very
aligned
with
how
me
and
Baz
want
to
see
the
team
play.
He
jumped
at
the
opportunity.

“He’s
a
very
natural
cricketer,
he’s
going
to
go
out
there
and
really
express
himself.”

Safety
concerns
have
prevented
England
from
visiting
after
the
Sri
Lanka
team
bus
was
targeted
by
gunmen
on
a
2009
tour.
Earlier
in
the
year,
the
English
arrived
in
England
for
a
7-match
T20I
series
which
they
won
4-3.

England
playing
XI
for
the
first
Test:
Zak
Crawley,
Ben
Duckett,
Ollie
Pope,
Joe
Root,
Ben
Stokes
(c),
Harry
Brook,
Ben
Foakes,
Liam
Livingstone,
Jack
Leach,
Ollie
Robinson,
Jimmy
Anderson.

(With
agency
inputs)