The Indian head coach Rahul Dravid has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of Asia Cup 2022, the BCCI confirmed on Tuesday. The men in blue will be playing their first match of the tournament on August 28 against arch-rivals Pakistan. It is important to note that Dravid had not traveled with the team to Zimbabwe for the three-match ODI series, that concluded on Monday.
“Team India Head Coach Rahul Dravid has tested positive for COVID-19 in a routine test conducted ahead of the team’s departure to the UAE for Asia Cup 2022. Dravid is under the supervision of the BCCI Medical team and has mild symptoms. He will join the team once he returns with a negative COVID-19 report. The rest of the team will assemble in UAE on 23rd August, 2022,” BCCI stated in an official release.
Team India defeated Zimbabwe 3-0 in the three-match ODI series. The visitors won the third and final ODI by 13 runs on Monday. Shubman Gill starred with the bat as he played a knock of 130, hitting his first international century. Dravid had taken charge of India’s senior side after the T20 World Cup last year.
NEWS – Head Coach Rahul Dravid tests positive for COVID-19.
More details here – https://t.co/T7qUP4QTQk #TeamIndia
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 23, 2022
Rohit Sharma will lead the team for the Asia Cup, while former captain Virat Kohli is back in the squad after a break. Premier paceman Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the tournament due to an injury.
Three specialist spinners are part of the squad which includes Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Ravi Bishnoi. Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja are the two all-rounders. Deepak Hooda and Suryakumar Yadav are the two batting options.
In Bumrah’s absence, the pace attack will be led by the experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar with youngsters Avesh Khan and Arshdeep Singh rounding up the squad. Death overs specialist Harshal Patel is also out due to injury. Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, and Deepak Chahar have been named as standbys.
India’s squad for Asia Cup: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan
