India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will be joining his teammates a little later in England as he has tested positive for COVID-19, a BCCI source told PTI on Monday.

Team India has already reached England for the one-off ‘fifth Test’, which is scheduled to be held from July 1 to 5. Ashwin couldn’t travel with them and is currently in quarantine. He will only join the squad after meeting all protocols requirements. The 35-year-old is also likely to miss the 4-day practice match against Leicestershire from Friday. 

“Ashwin hasn’t travelled with the squad to UK as he has tested positive for Covid 19 before departure. But we are hopeful that he will recover well in time before the Test match starts on July 1,” a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

“However he might miss the practice game against Leicestershire,” the source added.

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The rest of the squad has already started training under the supervision of bowling coach Paras Mhambrey and batting coach Vikram Rathour.

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Rahul Dravid, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, who just finished the T20 assignment against South Africa, have reached London and will travel to Leicester on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Ireland-bound squad under VVS Laxman will leave for Dublin on either June 23 or 24 as the team members have been given a three-day rest.

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India’s squad for the rescheduled fifth Test vs England: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Srikar Bharat (wk).