'Ravi Bhai Wasn't Able To Talk Properly': Ishant Sharma Recalls Covid Scare In Indian Camp

Ishant Sharma, who was part of the Indian contingent touring England last year, has revealed how things had changed after the then India head coach Ravi Shastri tested positive for COVID

Ishant Sharma recalled an incident in the dressing room when Ravi Shastri was finding it difficult to even speak.

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New Delhi: The fifth and final test between India and England is being played at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground. Originally, this Test match was scheduled to be played from September 10, last year in 2021. However, the series decider got postponed for the year 2022 after Indian camp recorded several cases of Covid-19. Recalling the turmoil in the Indian camp, veteran India pacer Ishant Sharma, who was part of Indian contingent touring England last year, revealed how things had changed after the then India head coach Ravi Shastri tested positive for COVID after attending a book launch event in England.

While talking to presenter Jatin Sapru, Ishant Sharma recalled an incident in the dressing room when Shastri was finding it difficult to even speak.

"We all were pretty scared during that time. I clearly remember, during the Oval Test, Ravi bhai was in the dressing room and he was not able to talk properly. There was his book launch and we thought he had caught cold because things were normal in England at that time. He was also looking normal it was just that he was not able to talk properly. Bharat Arun looked all right and even R Sridhar was totally fine. Then we got to know through Rapid Antigen Test that the three of them were positive. Actually we were scared at that time," he said.

Shastri as well as fielding coach R Sridhar, bowling coach Bharat Arun and physio Nitin Patel had tested positive for coronavirus during the Oval Test last year, while junior physio Yogesh Parmar tested positive before Ind vs Eng fifth Test which was to be played in Manchester.

This year, team India regular skipper Rohit Sharma has been ruled out of the fifth Test after testing Covid-19 positive. Jasprit Bumrah has been named as the stand-in captain for Edgbaston Test.