Australia T20I captain Mitchell Marsh to feature in 1st T20 against West Indies despite being affected with COVID-19

Despite testing positive for Covid-19 Australia captain Mitchell Marsh, he has been given the go-ahead in the opening T20I series against the West Indies on Friday. Cricket Australia said that Marsh will be able to perform captaincy duties on the field while adhering to strict social-distancing guidelines.

Australia will take on the West Indies in the first of the three-match T20I series at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart. According to a report in Fox Sports he will use a separate dressing room area during the game and also have safe distance from his teammates during the match and not indulge in celebrations either in as per the Cricket Australia protocols.

The all-rounder is the third Australia cricketer to be tested positive this summer as Josh Inglis and Cameron Green played with the virus earlier. Green was also shooed away his teammate Josh Hazlewood during the Test match against the West Indies at the Gabba and they were involved in a funny celebration as well. 

Cricket surrounded with COVID

There has been a significant increase in Covid-19 instances in the cricket community. Several players from New Zealand's camp got the illness during a T20I series against Pakistan in January. None of them resulted in major consequences, but the players missed cricket matches.

Mitchell Santner, New Zealand's stand-in captain, missed the series opener due to Covid-19, while opener Devon Conway missed the fourth match after getting the virus. Andre Adams, their bowling coach, also took up the infection during the series. The rise of the cases has been a tension to the world. 

After the Windies series the Aussies will be playing against New Zealand. The Kangaroos have not announced him as permanent captain in the format, Marsh is likely to lead them in the T20 World Cup 2024 as well. 

Australia squad for West Indies T20Is

Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa