England vs India: ECB will work with BCCI to play one-off Test after fifth Test cancellation

ECB chief executive Tom Harrison says match would likely be a stand-alone fixture rather than the final match in this summer's curtailed series; he adds that all fans who bought tickets for this event will get their money back and remains optimistic that this winter's Ashes will go ahead

​​​​​​England and India could face each other in a rescheduled Test after the cancellation of the fifth Test at Emirates Old Trafford, but the match is unlikely to decide the series, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) says.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that it is working with the ECB to find a window in the busy cricket schedule for the fixture, which was axed after the tourists were unable to field a team due to concerns over Covid-19.

However ECB chief executive Tom Harrison, speaking exclusively to Sky Sports, said that any such game would likely be a stand-alone fixture and not form part of the current series - which India were leading 2-1 going into the final match.

"I think it will be a stand-alone situation," he said, when asked if the outstanding Test would decide the series or not.

"We've been offered other options, but I think a few hours into this we probably need to take a look. The glass-half-full version of this is playing a one-off Test match against India on this ground to give fans what they've missed out on.

"Let's work on that and deliver it. It would be the only good news to come out of a day like this. There are financial implications (for the ECB) to this, but we are taking steps to mitigate those and make sure it is as limited as it can be."

Concerns over the viability of the fixture first appeared on Thursday when India cancelled their final training session and failed to complete their mandatory press conference.

It later emerged that the squad was confined to its hotel after a new positive case was returned by one of their backroom team.

Head coach Ravi Shastri had previously tested positive for the virus during the fourth Test at the Oval, where he remains in quarantine with bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach Ramakrishnan Sridhar.

The threat appeared to recede when a fresh round of PCR testing among the remaining members of the travelling party came back negative, but after intense negotiations between the ECB and the BCCI the game was cancelled.

It is understood that a number of Indian players harboured concerns over the spread of the virus and were unwilling to take the field, meaning the tourists could not put up an XI.