Michael Vaughan fears England’s Test series with India and The Hundred could be ruined by Covid-19

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has warned the cricket summer could be ruined unless Covid-19 isolation rules are changed after India’s Rishabh Pant tested positive.

The wicketkeeper, 23, has gone into isolation and will not travel to Durham to rejoin the rest of the India squad ahead of a friendly match against a County Select XI on July 20.

India will take on England in a five-Tests series that is the highlight of the summer, beginning at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on August 4.

Pant (right) posted Instagram pictures from Wembley during the England vs Germany match at Euro 2020. It is not known where Pant contracted the virus 

India’s players have been in England since taking on New Zealand in the World Test Championship final at the Ageas Bowl last month but they were then given time off.

Pant posted Instagram photographs from England’s Euro 2020 match against Germany at Wembley. It isn’t known where Pant contracted the virus but he spent a week in quarantine at the home of UK relatives.

It came after India’s governing body the BCCI confirmed net bowler Dayanand Garani had also tested positive.

Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, batsman Abhimanyu Easwaran and bowling coach Bharat Arun have been identified as close contacts of Garani and will also need to isolate in London for 10 days.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan fears the cricket summer could be ruined if Covid-19 isolation rules aren’t changed 

India’s Test team remained in England after the World Test Championship with the players allowed time off ahead of the five-Test series starting on August 4 

Wriddhiman Saha is one of four members of the India touring party forced into self-isolation

Vaughan also fears The Hundred, which launches next week, will be affected by Covid cases

These Covid positives come after three England players and four staff members picked up the virus ahead of their one-day series against Pakistan this month, forcing a complete change of squad.

And with The Hundred, the new short form competition, launching next week, Vaughan tweeted his concerns about the knock on effects of positive tests and close contacts being force to isolate.

‘I fear for the 100 & the Indian Test series unless the isolation laws change… we are bound to have cases as is the case with @RishabhPant17… plus further down the line I fear the Ashes could be hugely affected with players pulling out unless bubbles/quarantine rules change!’

Pant was excellent with the bat during the series in India earlier this year, which England lost 3-1.

Pant was excellent with bat and gloves during the Test series win over England in India 

He made 91 in the first Test in Chennai that England won before hitting 101 in the third Test at Ahmedabad. He also claimed five stumpings during the four-Test series.

The affected England white ball players had to isolate for 10 days, ruling them out of all three one-day matches against Pakistan.

Ben Stokes captained a ‘B team’ that still proved too strong for Pakistan, winning all three games.

England were forced to completely change their white ball squad for the ODI series with Pakistan after three players from the original squad and four staff members tested positive  

Nine of those who isolated have returned to the fold for the upcoming three-match T20 series against Pakistan, which begins at Trent Bridge on Friday evening.

There are further games at Headingley in Leeds on Sunday and Old Trafford in Manchester on Tuesday as the teams continue their build-up for the T20 World Cup this autumn.

The men’s version of The Hundred gets underway at The Oval next Thursday as the Oval Invincibles take on Manchester Originals.