Covid strikes India camp ahead of rescheduled England Test

Agencies London/Mumbai India’s preparation for this week’s Test against England have hit a hurdle with news that captain Rohit Sharma has tested positive t...

AgenciesLondon/MumbaiIndia’s preparation for this week’s Test against England have hit a hurdle with news that captain Rohit Sharma has tested positive to Covid-19.The BCCI confirmed Rohit had tested positive via a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) on Saturday, with the India skipper currently in isolation at the team hotel ahead of the rescheduled fifth Test against England that commences in Edgbaston on Friday.Rohit had been participating in India’s warm-up match against a Leicestershire XI at Uptonsteel County Ground, with the 35-year-old having made 25 in the opening innings of the match on Thursday.However Rohit did not feature during India’s second innings on Saturday, with the BCCI confirming the right-hander will undergo further testing on Sunday to determine the extent of his ailment.The Test in Edgbaston is the fifth and final Test match of the series that commenced last year but had to be postponed following a Covid outbreak in the India camp.India currently lead the series 2-1 and can claim their first Test series triumph on England soil since 2007 by avoiding defeat in Birmingham.If Rohit does recover in time to lead India during the match it will be his first Test in charge away from home after he took over the captaincy from Virat Kohli earlier this year.A Test victory for India will also provide them with valuable points on the World Test Championship standings, with Rohit’s side currently occupying third place on the standings behind Australia and South Africa.Recently, Rohit Sharma completed his 15 years in international cricket for India. He made his ODI debut for the national side on this day in 2007 against Ireland in Belfast. He took to social media to share a heartwarming message on completing 15 years in international cricket.“Hello everyone, Today I will be completing 15 years of international cricket since I made my debut for India. What a journey it has been, surely one that I will cherish for the rest of my life. “I just want to thank everyone who has been a part of this journey and a special thanks to the people who helped me become the player that I am today. To all the cricket lovers, fans and critics your love and support for the team is what gets us over those hurdles we all inevitably come across. Thanking you, RS,” said the star Indian batter in his message.He was named among Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year in their 2022 edition. In the same year, he was named India’s all-format captain.