Ashwin misses plane to England after testing positive for Covid

India allrounder R Ashwin has tested positive for Covid-19, and as a result, not yet travelled to England for the upcoming Edgbaston Test, scheduled to be held from July 1 to 5. Ashwin is currently in quarantine and will only join the squad after meeting all protocol requirements.

The rest of the Indian team had left for England on June 16. “Ashwin hasn’t travelled with the squad to UK as he has tested positive for Covid- 19 before departure,” a BCCI source told PTI. “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.”

The rest of the squad is already in Leicester and started training under the supervision of bowling coach Paras Mhambrey and batting coach Vikram Rathour. Rahul Dravid, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer reached London after finishing the T20I series against South Africa, and will now travel to Leicester on Tuesday.

The Ireland-bound squad under VVS Laxman will leave for Dublin on either June 23 or 24 as the team members have been given a three-day rest. India are scheduled to play two T20Is against Ireland in Dublin, on June 26 and 28.

The Test team will then take on England in Birmingham to complete the last of the five-match Test series that came to an abrupt halt last year, with India currently leading 2-1. After the Edgbaston Test, India and England will play each other in three ODIs and three T20Is.