The Indian team faced a major setback ahead of their one-off Test match when their opener and skipper Rohit Sharma tested positive for COVID and missed the crucial final Test match. In his absence, pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been appointed as the captain and Shubhman Gill is opening alongside Cheteshwar Pujara to act as a cover for Rohit Sharma.
When India landed in the United Kingdom for their limited over series and the one-off Test match, captain Rohit Sharma was expected to be a part of the final playing eleven in all seven matches, but unfortunately, the Indian skipper went down with COVID-19 and missed the important Test match. The entire Indian team came under the scanner when they were found flouting the COVID protocols.
The one-off Test match which is being played at Edgbaston was initially a part of India's red ball tour to England last year. With COVID wreaking havoc through various parts of Britain, the match had to be postponed and it was mutually agreed between the ECB and the BCCI that the remaining Test match will be played when India travels to England for their white ball tour in 2022.
It is now learned that the Indian skipper has tested negative and is out of isolation. Rohit is all set to join the Indian squad now.
"Yes, Rohit has tested negative and as per medical protocols is now out of quarantine.
However, he is not playing today's T20 warm-up game against Northamptonshire as he will need some recovery time and training ahead of the first T20I. As per medical protocol, any player, who is out of quarantine, needs to undergo mandatory cardiovascular tests to check the lung capacity and how it is functioning post-COVID-19", said a source close to BCCI.
(Inputs from PTI)
India’s squad for 1st T20I: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaekwad, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik
India’s squad for 2nd and 3rd T20I: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik
India’s squad for 3 ODIs: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, J Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Mohd Shami, Mohd Siraj, Arshdeep Singh
