BCCI Medical Officer under scanner for mishandling Krunal Pandya’s COVID-19 case

The dust hasn’t settled around Krunal Pandya’s controversial positive test during the last month’s tour of Sri Lanka as reports emerge of alleged mishandling of the player’s medical conditioning in Colombo by the travelling team doctor. 

Krunal had to be isolated from the rest of India’s alternate white-ball squad ahead of the second T20I on July 27. And even though those identified as his close contacts were deemed COVID-19 negative, they still had to be sidelined for the rest of the tour over health safety purposes. 

The absence of as many as nine first-choice players left India majorly understrength and imbalanced for the last two encounters. With only four specialist batsmen available for selection, India had two horrible outings and lost 2-1 in a series where they were expected to whitewash the evidently struggling hosts. 

As it happens these days, much of the blame for India’s defeat was unfairly put on Krunal and his positive test by critics over social media. 

Also Read: Krunal Pandya Begins Quest To Be The Strongest Back-Up To Ravindra Jadeja

Krunal Pandya tested COVID-19 positive during July’s tour of Sri Lanka. (pic courtesy: Twitter)

Did the team doctor allow the impact of Krunal Pandya’s COVID-19 positive test to escalate?

But now, even as Krunal Pandya returned home last week, a BCCI source close to the matter has claimed team doctor Abhijit Salvi to be responsible for allowing the health situation within the Indian dressing room to escalate. 

The source has accused that even though Krunal intimated Salvi about feeling a sore throat a day after the first T20I itself, he was not made to undergo the necessary Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) immediately. 

Salvi, this BCCI source has alleged, let the spin all-rounder attend the team meeting that day and opted for the testing procedure as late as the morning of the penultimate T20I on July 27. 

“Krunal had throat pain on July 26 and he followed the protocol informing the medical officer. It is strange that he should have been immediately isolated with a Rapid Antigen Test (self test kit) done. But nothing of that sort happened,” the BCCI source was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times. 

“Although Rapid Antigen Test is not conclusive but it’s the first part of protocol. But I can confirm, Krunal despite throat pain attended team meeting. In fact, another question that’s being raised is how come BCCI’s medical team in Sri Lanka agreed to testing every fifth day whereas in IPL, testing is done every third day.”

Once the series was completed, the Indian touring party, barring Krunal Pandya, Krishnappa Gowtham and Yuzvendra Chahal, two players who also gave a positive test later on, was allowed to travel back home. Gowtham and Chahal returned negative recently and are now back in India as well.