Ravi Shastri (centre) addresses Team India squad ahead of the training session at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday morning.
Indian cricket team has stepped up its preparations for the four-match Test series against visitors England as they begin net session under coach Ravi Shastri at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday morning.
BCCI took to Twitter to reveal Indian squad in a huddle around coach Shastri, who addressed them with a rousing speech ahead of the England series.
Earlier the Indian team cleared all three mandatory COVID-19 tests and hence have been cleared to begin their training for the Test series opener against England in Chennai. But while they begin their training from Tuesday onwards, the Indian team went to the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday, after completing their mandatory six days of quarantine.
"Out and about at The Chepauk after 6 days of quarantine. #TeamIndia," BCCI wrote on Twitter while sharing the images of the Indian team at Chepauk.
"The Indian cricket team completed their quarantine period today in Chennai. Three RT-PCR tests for Covid-19 were conducted at regular intervals and all tests have returned negative results. The team will have their first outdoor session today from 5 pm and nets sessions will begin from tomorrow," BCCI said in a statement on Monday.
Earlier in the same evening, ECB confirmed that the England players have all returned negative for COVID-19 in their second Tests.
The Test series will begin from February 5 onwards with the first two Tests in Chennai and the remaining two at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The series offers India a chance to take the top spot in the ICC Test rankings while also offering the opportunity to seal the berth in the World Test Championship final, to be played at the Lord's on June 18. India will have to win by a margin of at least 2-0 to reach the final while a victory will assure them a spot atop in the Test rankings.
