With Rahul Dravid contracting Covid-19 ahead of the Indian team's departure to the UAE for the Asia Cup, the mind harks back to this time last year, when certain players of the Indian team had gotten infected with the virus while on the tour of England. The impact was such that the fifth Test which was originally scheduled to start at the Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester on September 10, had to be postponed in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak within the India squad.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri was the first case of Covid-19 in the Indian camp, getting infected midway through the fourth Test. However, it was after the team physiotherapist Yogesh Parmar had returned a positive result is when things got serious, putting the fifth Test in jeopardy. Parmar was a close contact of several Indian players, including Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma. Although all players had returned a negative result, the results of the second round of testing were awaited, and after much deliberation, the BCCI and the ECB mutually decided to pull the plug on the Manchester Test.
Much has been said and spoken about the postponed Test, with many former England players being of the opinion that India wanted to rush out of England to be ready for the IPL which was starting in a few days' time, which is why the decision to call off the Test was taken. Shastri, who had previously spoken openly about the situation prevailing in the Indian team, has now stated that had the Covid scenario last year had mellowed like it has now, not only would the Indian team have played the fifth Test, but returned victorious as well.
"When I had Covid last year, I could have gone into the dressing room in 6-7 days. And I promise you if I had gone to the dressing room in 6-7 days, India would have played that Test match at Old Trafford and won it," Shastri said in a press conference organised by Star Sports, the official broadcaster of Asia Cup 2022.
{{/usCountry}}"When I had Covid last year, I could have gone into the dressing room in 6-7 days. And I promise you if I had gone to the dressing room in 6-7 days, India would have played that Test match at Old Trafford and won it," Shastri said in a press conference organised by Star Sports, the official broadcaster of Asia Cup 2022.
{{/usCountry}}The Test was eventually played out last month at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham, which England won and levelled the series 2-2. A lot had changed between then a now. Shastri has stepped down as India's coach and as did Virat Kohli from his position as captain of the team. India skipper Rohit Sharma had to give the Test a miss due to Covid and Jasprit Bumrah led the team in his absence.