New Delhi: In what comes as a positive news for team India, senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin joined Team India in Leicestershire after recovering from dreaded Coronavirus. However, the spinner won't be participating in the warm-up match against Leicestershire which started on Thursday. Last week, Ashwin was unable to fly to England along with other Indian team members after testing Covid positive. On Thursday morning, he was seen with the team in a white kit but his name was not on any team sheet. The four-day warm-up match between India and Leicestershire is being played with13 members per team.


When it comes to playing the longest format in England, Ashwin is considered to be one of the most experienced players in current national team. Apart from international cricket, Ashwin has also played county cricket for two clubs.

 

Ashwin is currently at number two in the ICC Test bowlers' rankings for bowlers and number three in all-rounders' rankings. 

 

The veteran is the top contender for a spinners' spot in the fifth Test starting July 1 at Edgbaston. For Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire in county cricket, Ashwin has picked 61 wickets at an average of 25.32 and scored 553 runs at an average of around 37.

Cheteshwar Pujara, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Prasadhi Krishna were included in the Leicestershire team against India. This is the only practice match ahead of the fifth Test starting next week. Batting first, India scored 246/8 with KS Bharat and (70*) and Mohammed Shami (18*) remaining unbeaten on crease.