If I had gone to dressing room, India would have played Manchester Test and won it: Former coach Ravi Shastri

After Team India coach Rahul Dravid tested Covid positive ahead of the Asia Cup 2022, former India head coach Ravi Shastri recalled his own experience of testing positive for the virus during the fourth Test between England and India at The Oval.

Notably, India had a brilliant outing on the England tour last year as they won Test matches in Lord’s and Oval to take 2-1 lead in the five-match series. However, ahead of the fifth and final Test of the series, many members of Team India had tested positive for Covid-19 and then coach Shastri was also one of them.

As a result of him testing positive for Covid-19, bowling coach Bharat Arun, fielding coach R Sridhar, and physiotherapist Nitin Patel were that time kept in isolation as a precautionary measure.

The situation was such that the ECB and BCCI mutually decided to postpone the fifth Test which was originally scheduled to start at the Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester on September 10.

Notably, the rescheduled fifth Test took place this year in Southampton with Rahul Dravid being India’s coach. It was England who emerged victorious in the match and levelled the series 2-2.

Meanwhile, Shastri opened up on the incident and said that if he was in the dressing room before Old Trafford Test, not only India would have played the Test, but also won it.

“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.

Talking about the present scenario, Shastri said that India shouldn't be much worried about their head coach Dravid testing Covid-19 positive before their departure to the UAE ahead of Asia Cup, saying that he will be back with the side before the India-Pakistan match on August 28.

"I don't think it will make that much of a difference. Today, don't call it Covid-19, it's just flu. In three-four days, it will be fine, and he will be back in the park," said Shastri.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said that Dravid had tested positive for Covid-19, placing his involvement in the Asia Cup, scheduled to commence in the UAE from August 27, in doubt.

The BCCI added that Dravid is under the supervision of the BCCI Medical team and has mild symptoms. It also said that he will join the Indian team once he returns with a negative COVID-19 report.

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