IND vs ENG | Absolutely no regrets on attending book launch event in London, insists Ravi Shastri
Ravi Shastri has no regrets on book launch event
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Ravi Shastri has insisted that he has absolutely no regrets over attending the book launch event in London which allegedly led to him testing positive for COVID 19. The fifth Test between India and England was cancelled two hours before the scheduled start due to concerns in the Indian camp.
The event for Ravi Shastri’s Book ‘Star Gazing: The Players in My Life’ took place on August 31, two days before the start of fourth Test between India and England at The Oval. Lots of outside guests were invited alongside the members of the Indian team including captain Virat Kohli. The isuue took a serious turn when Shastri tested positive for COVID 19, alongwith bowling coach Bharat Arun, fielding coach R Sridhar, and senior physio Nitin Patel on the morning of the fourth day of the fourth Test.
"There were about 250 people there and no-one got Covid from that party.
"I've not got it at my book launch because it was on the 31st (August) and I tested positive on 3 September. It can't happen in three days," Shastri said in an interview with The Guardian.
"I have absolutely no regrets...At the Oval Test, you were climbing stairs used by 5,000 people. So to point a finger at a book launch?”
The final nail in the coffin was when Yogesh Parmar, who is the assistant physio of the Indian team, tested positive for COVID hours before the start of the fifth and final Test at the Old Trafford in Manchester. The fate of the series is hanging in balance as it has not been decided whether India will play the cancelled Test in 2022 tour of England or will play extra T20Is to cover up the losses incurred by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
