Tendulkar out of hospital after COVID diagnosis

Indian cricket great Sachin Tendulkar has returned home after nearly a week in a Mumbai hospital with coronavirus.

The 47-year-old Tendulkar, Test cricket's all-time leading run-scorer, tested positive for COVID-19 on March 27 and was hospitalised last Friday.

"I have just come home from the hospital and will remain isolated while continuing to rest and recuperate," Tendulkar tweeted.

He thanked the healthcare staff "who took such good care of me and have been working tirelessly for over a year in such difficult circumstances".

The Press Trust of India news agency said all of his family members have tested negative.

Tendulkar took part in a cricket veterans' tournament in the central Indian city of Raipur last month.

India has been hit by a recent spike of COVID-19 infections and the 2021 Indian Premier League, which starts on Friday night, will be played behind closed doors.

Daily case numbers surged past 100,000 this week.

Australian cricketer Daniel Sams tested positive earlier this week and is in isolation at a designated medical facility in India.

Sams tested negative upon arriving in India to link with the Royal Challengers Bangalore earlier this month, but a second test on Wednesday came back positive.

The 28-year-old will now miss the start of the IPL season, with his return date yet to be confirmed.

He will have to spend a minimum of 10 days in a designated area outside of the bio-secure bubble.

Sams is the fourth IPL player to test positive in recent weeks.