England’s first Test plans have been thrown into chaos thanks to a virus sweeping through the squad that could yet see the game delayed by 24 hours
Were the match due to start on Wednesday it would have been postponed due to seven players and 14 members of the tour party being laid low with symptoms.
And even though they are hopeful that enough players will make a good enough recovery by the morning of the match, discussions and plans are being made for pushing the game back by 24hrs if more players develop an illness that prevents England putting out a strong enough team.
Half the squad including captain Ben Stokes have been laid low in some way by the illness that is threatening to make alterations to the team named by England 36 hours before the scheduled start.
Stokes himself is believed to be one of the most seriously affected by the virus that is impacting both in terms of vomiting and diarrhoea and it was left to Joe Root to step in as England's representative the day before the game.
Root told the BBC: “Who knows what will happen? Whether there would be the possibility to delay it by a day, I don’t know. I've not spoken to anyone and I don’t know the ins and outs of it. It’s such a monumental tour and important series for so many reasons. We’ve waited 17 years to come to Pakistan to play a Test match, if it means waiting another day, is that the worst thing in the world?
“We’re all desperate to play this game and we know how important it is to the fans of Pakistan and their team as well. I don’t think it’s necessarily the worst thing in the world if we have to wait one more day to make sure the game isn’t cancelled and everyone gets what they want, which is an exciting three-match series.
“I’m not involved in those discussions anymore and I’m glad that I’m not. I’ll just chuck it out there and someone else can deal with it.”
The people dealing with it are the ECB's representative out here, Neil Snowball managing director of county cricket, Rob Key managing director of England men's cricket and Ramiz Raja PCB chairman.
Only Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Keaton Jennings, Ollie Pope and Root were able to take a full part in training with the rest of the squad resting up, hoping to be well enough to play on Thursday. The good news is that Root himself was suffering from mild symptoms on Tuesday evening, but had recovered well enough to net at the ground on Wednesday.
Players suffering more severe symptoms have been put in quarantine by the England medical staff who are keen to prevent any further spread through the team having had plenty of experience in this area in recent years.
In South Africa in December 2019 a similar virus swept through the squad causing huge issues for players including then skipper Joe Root who was sick in between spells on the field during the first Test in Centurion, which England lost.
Most players recovered reasonably quickly from the illness on that tour barring Jack Leach who suffers from Crohn’s disease and had been poorly on the previous tour to New Zealand.
Leach is out here and is reportedly unwell - but England are said not to be overly concerned at his symptoms just yet, however with his medical history, his participation in the first Test will be under serious threat.
For those at training it was all hands on deck with fitness and conditioning coach Peter Sim being pressed into offering throwdowns with the available batters and even managing director of cricket Rob Key was spotted in training gear for the first time.
Several of the usual activities that take place the day before a match were postponed, including the captain's photo with the trophy, with Stokes hopeful of being able to do it ahead of the first morning.
How the virus has hit the squad is unknown, although the food they have been eating is not thought to be the source with those who are well having consumed the same fayre.
England have even brought their own chef on tour with them, Omar Meziane a former chef to the England football team, to keep a close eye on the preparation and content of the meals they are eating and he has been impressed by what has been on offer in the team hotel thus far, but the virus has still found a way round.
