The Indian team drew the home T20I series against South Africa, with both teams winning two games each. The Men in Blue have a tour to England as well as Ireland on their schedule next. Meanwhile, Ravi Ashwin has contracted with Covid-19, following which he missed the flight to England.
The Indian team flew to the UK on June 16 but Ashwin had to undergo quarantine and, hence, he missed the flight. Reports say that the Chennai-born bowler will join the Test team after their practice game against Leicestershire.
“Ashwin hasn’t travelled with the squad to the U.K. as he has tested positive for COVID-19 before departure. But we are hopeful that he will recover well in time before the Test match starts on July 1. However, he might miss the practice game against Leicestershire,” a BCCI source was quoted by The Indian Express.
The rest of the Indian team has already reached Leicestershire and has started training for the upcoming practice match on the 24th of June. This series marks the re-entry of senior players into the team who were asked to take a rest while the India- South Africa T20I series went on.
Players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami were rested after the Indian T20 League and missed the five-match T20I series against South Africa. KL Rahul shouldered the captaincy for the series but was out with an injury at the very last minute. Rishabh Pant walked up as the stand-in captain and did well after the initial two-match hiccup.
India are going to face England in a rescheduled Test match that was abandoned due to the COVID outbreak in 2021. The series is currently tilted in India’s favour, who leads with a margin of 2-1 and would be looking to clinch the last test. England, however, have a chance to win the last Test and draw the series on their home turf.
