NEW DELHI: Mitchell Marsh is set to lead Australia in their upcoming Twenty20 international encounter against West Indies despite testing positive for COVID-19.
Cricket Australia announced on Thursday that Marsh will assume the captaincy duties remotely, with special arrangements in place to ensure the safety of all involved.
The all-rounder will be permitted to participate in the match at Hobart's Bellerive Oval; however, strict protocols will be enforced.
Marsh will be allocated a separate dressing room and will be required to maintain a safe distance from his fellow players while on the field.
Despite his positive diagnosis, Marsh's leadership role remains intact, with confirmation that he will captain the team in the forthcoming three-match T20 series in New Zealand.
This development solidifies his position as the likely captain for the highly anticipated T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in the Caribbean and the United States in June.
This decision comes in the wake of recent instances where other players, such as Josh Inglis and Cameron Green, continued to participate in international matches despite testing positive for COVID-19.
Even Australia's coach, Andrew McDonald, fell victim to the virus last month, underscoring the ongoing challenges faced by cricket teams amidst the pandemic.
Despite these setbacks, cricket authorities are committed to ensuring the smooth continuation of matches, implementing stringent health and safety measures to mitigate the risk of virus transmission within the sporting community.
(With inputs from Reuters)
