Australia’s regular test skipper Pat Cummins has been allowed to return home in Sydney, the team said on Friday, after missing the ongoing second Ashes test in Adelaide for being a close contact of a COVID-19 case.
Cummins was ruled out hours before the start of the pink-ball test against England after dining in the same restaurant as the positive case on Wednesday night.
The 28-year old produced a negative test result on Thursday and has been cleared by South Austra-lia’s SA Health to return home by a chartered flight, Cricket Australia said.
“Under the plan approved by SA Health, he will self-drive from isolation and then, with the appro-priate PPE and hygiene controls, take a single char-ter flight,” the CA said.
“Cricket Australia will continue to consult with SA Health to ensure compliance with the plan. “He will continue to observe all isolation re-quirements in NSW.”
Steve Smith stepped up as Australia’s stand-in captain in Adelaide but the hosts, who are 1-0 up in the five-match series, will hope to welcome Cum-mins back in squad for the Boxing Day test in Mel-bourne.—AFP
