After recovering from Covid-19, India’s head coach Rahul Dravid has taken over the team in the United Arab Emirates for the Asia Cup campaign, the country’s cricket board (BCCI) announced on Sunday.
Dravid, a legendary batsman for India, had a positive test on Tuesday, just before the team’s flight to the UAE for the six-team Twenty20 tournament.
In Dravid’s absence, the BCCI had appointed VVS Laxman, who oversees the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, as an assistant coach.
Laxman has returned to Bengaluru, while Dravid “has tested negative for Covid-19 and has joined the squad in Dubai,” according to a statement from the BCCI.
On Sunday, India will face Pakistan in the first game of their rematch for the Asia Cup championship.The two nations’ bilateral cricket matches are still on hold, but they do still compete against one another in multi-team contests.
The most eagerly anticipated encounter of the Asia Cup will take place a day after Afghanistan and Sri Lanka square off in the opening game.In their previous meeting, Pakistan defeated India in a T20 World Cup match in Dubai last year by a margin of 10 wickets.