Former India opener Chetan Chauhan tests positive for coronavirus

Chauhan is a minister in Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s cabinet, handling the departments of Sainik Welfare, Home Guards, PRD and Civil Security.
Former India opener Chetan Chauhan. (Photo | PTI)
Former India opener Chetan Chauhan. (Photo | PTI)

CHENNAI: Former India opener Chetan Chauhan tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday. He was admitted to a hospital in Lucknow in the evening. Known in certain quarters as the best opening partner Sunil Gavaskar ever had, Chauhan turns 73 on July 21.

He is the first international cricketer from India, former or current, to have contracted the virus. A number of internationals cricketers from Pakistan have tested positive. Former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Motrtaza had also been infected with the virus.

It was learnt that Chauhan’s family members will be tested. There was no news of him getting it from family sources. Chauhan is a minister in Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s cabinet, handling the departments of Sainik Welfare, Home Guards, PRD and Civil Security.

Chauhan is an MLA from the Naugawan Sadat constituency. Uttar Pradesh has had over 33,000 Covid-19 cases and the death tally is close to 900. Updates on Chauhan’s condition were not available. It was also not clear when he started showing symptoms.

Known as a gutsy batsman who was difficult to dislodge, Chauhan played 40 Tests from 1969 to 1981. He also played seven ODIs. In Tests, he accumulated 2084 runs at an average of 31.57. He was one of the rare established Test batsmen, who never scored a century. Until being overtaken by Shane Warne, he was the batsman with maximum Test runs without a century.

Chauhan was an official of the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association in the past. He was also the manager of the Indian team which won the tri-series in Australia in 2007-08. His son Karan died in a car accident in Adelaide in 2005. 

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com