England v India: Fifth Test to go ahead after India players return negative Covid tests

India cancelled their final practice session ahead of the fifth Test against England at Emirates Old Trafford after a member of their support staff tested positive for Covid-19; head coach Ravi Shastri tested positive during the fourth Test at The Kia Oval

Image: India head coach Ravi Shastri has not travelled with the rest of the squad after testing positive for coronavirus during the fourth Test

The fifth Test between England and India on Friday will go ahead as scheduled after the ECB announced there have been no further positive Covid tests in the Indian camp.

India's practice session at Old Trafford ahead of the fifth and final Test was cancelled on Thursday after a member of their support staff tested positive for Covid-19.

Second physio Yogesh Parmar tested positive on Wednesday and practice was cancelled as the team were awaiting the results of a fresh round of tests carried out on Thursday morning.

India head coach Ravi Shastri tested positive during the fourth Test at The Kia Oval and has since been isolating with bowling coach Bharat Arun, fielding coach R Sridhar and physiotherapist Nitin Patel.

India lead 2-1 in the five-Test series after winning the Oval Test by 157 runs. The final Test begins on Friday at Emirates Old Trafford.

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Image: India head coach Ravi Shastri has not travelled with the rest of the squad after testing positive for coronavirus during the fourth Test

Buttler: Fingers crossed Test goes ahead

Jos Buttler said earlier on Thursday England had their "fingers crossed" that the fifth Test would go ahead.

England completed their own pre-match preparations shortly after midday and are were hoping the fixture goes ahead as planned.

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"At present we're fully expecting the game to go ahead and we're preparing to play tomorrow. Fingers crossed the game will go ahead," said vice-captain Buttler.

"We don't know too much to be honest. It would be naive to speculate too much on stuff I don't know about. Things are all fine in our camp. We trained well this morning so, yeah, we're hopefully all looking forward to the game again tomorrow."

Watch the fifth and final Test between England and India live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am on Friday.

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