With less than a week’s time left for the start of the Asia Cup 2022, the build-up has begun among the fans and media with arch-rivals India set to take on Pakistan on August 28. However, ahead of the marquee tournament, the Indian team has suffered a major blow in the form of their head coach Rahul Dravid, who has tested positive for coronavirus.
The Indian cricket board announced the development in an email sent on Tuesday night without giving any specific timeline of Rahul Dravid joining back the team during Asian Cup 2022 tournament. “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,” the BCCI said in a release.
“Mr. 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,” the report added.
This will be yet another instance of Rahul Dravid not accompanying the team during an international assignment. Earlier this year, Rahul Dravid had not toured Ireland with a second-string Indian team — he was busy with another group preparing for England tou — whereas he also missed the recently concluded tour of Zimbabwe in which the Indian team won 3-0.
On both the occasions, former India batsman and current director of cricket at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore, VVS Laxman had chipped in as the stand-in head coach. It is now being speculated that one among bowling coach Paras Mhambrey or VVS Laxman will be picked for the role before Rahul Dravid is ready to link back with the team, at some stage in the Asia Cup 2022.