New Delhi [India], Aug 6 (ANI): Denying rumours which have been doing the rounds on social media, former West Indies skipper Brian Lara announced that he has tested negative for the coronavirus.

The former Windies batsman said that the rumours of him testing positive for the coronavirus are not true, and people should not be using the pandemic as a tool for spreading negativity.

"Hi everyone, I have read all the circulating rumours regarding me testing positive for the coronavirus and it is important I clarify the facts. Not only is this information false, but it is also detrimental to spread such panic in a community already feeling the distress of the COVID situation," Lara said in an Instagram post.

"While you haven't personally affected me, what causes concern is that spread of wrongful information is careless and causes unnecessary worry amongst a lot of people that would have been in my circle. This virus isn't something we should be using in a negative manner to create sensationalism. I hope and pray that all of us remain safe because as is noticeable COVID 19 is going nowhere in the near future," he added.

Over the last 24 hours, there have many people on social media who put posts, saying that Lara had tested positive for the coronavirus.

However, the Windies skipper clarified that he indeed got tested for the virus, and tested negative.

Lara had announced his retirement from international cricket in 2007. He finished his career with 22,358 runs and 53 international centuries.

The 51-year-old Lara has recorded the highest individual score in Test cricket as he played a knock of 400 runs against England in 2004.

He also holds the record for the highest individual score in first-class cricket, as he scored 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston in 1994.

Lara also shares the test record of scoring the highest number of runs in a single over in a Test match. He smashed South Africa's Robin Peterson of South Africa for 28 runs in a single over in 2003.

The left-handed Lara played 131 Tests and 299 ODIs for West Indies.

He managed to score 11,953 runs in the longest format of the game while he registered 10,405 runs in the 50-over format. (ANI)