Team India head coach Rahul Dravid has reportedly tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The news comes only a few days ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup 2022, which gets underway on August 27 in the United Arab Emirates. Dravid is now unlikely to travel with the Indian cricket team for the inter-continental competition.
Dravid had not travelled with the Indian ODI team for the Zimbabwe tour and VVS Laxman had taken over the coaching duties. India beat Zimbabwe 3-0 in the recently concluded three-match ODI series.
India head coach Rahul Dravid tests positive for COVID-19 and not travelling for Asia Cup to Dubai: BCCI Sources
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 23, 2022
Rahul Dravid was scheduled to join the squad in the UAE for the Asia Cup. However, it is unlikely to happen soon as the former India captain will have to undergo mandatory isolation and tests negative for COVID-19 before joining the squad.
It remains to be seen if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will ask VVS Laxman to continue in his role as the head coach for the Asia Cup 2022 as well. Laxman, who is the head of the National Cricket Academy, coached the Indian team during their two-match T20I series against Ireland when Rahul Dravid was busy with the Test squad in England.
India’s Full Schedule, Squads for Asia Cup 2022
The Asia Cup 2022 will get underway on August 27 with the final scheduled to take place on September 11. Six sides going up against each other for the silverware, which includes India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and a qualifier.
India are placed in Group A with Pakistan. They will be joined by the qualifier as the third team. The Men in Blue will kickoff their Asia Cup 2022 campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on August 28 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai.
Schedule
August 28, India vs Pakistan, 2nd Match, Group A: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai (7.30 pm).
August 31, India vs Qualifier, 4th Match, Group A: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai (7.30 pm).
* If India qualify for the final, they will play two more matches.
Squad
Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Deepak Hooda, Yuzvendra Chahal
Stand by players: Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Deepak Chahar
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