Last week, veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin missed his flight to the UK after testing positive for COVID-19. He is now on track to join the Indian team before their June 24 warm-up game. With the series tied at 2-1 in India's favor, the upcoming Test at Edgbaston will be the series decider. This follows a chaotic end to the previous match, which was abandoned halfway through because of a COVID-19 surge in the squad.
Currently, the right-arm spinner is observing quarantine and will be cleared to join the team only after following all official protocols. The BCCI has already identified Jayant Yadav as the likely replacement should Ashwin fail to recover in time.
During India's tour of England last year, Ashwin was included in the squad for the first four Tests but remained on the bench for all of them. However, his recent dominance against Sri Lanka in March, where he took six wickets, has put him back in the conversation for a spot in the playing XI.
Known for his mastery of the carrom ball, the 35-year-old is a powerhouse in Test cricket, ranking as the second-highest wicket-taker with 442 dismissals in 86 matches. Meanwhile, head coach Rahul Dravid along with Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant have already arrived in Leicester. The BCCI is still searching for a replacement for KL Rahul, who is heading to Germany to seek treatment for a groin injury.