The Indian cricket team got some good news ahead of the warm-up game against Leicestershire on Thursday as veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin joined the side after recovering from COVID-19. The Indian team had left for UK on June 16 but the spinner was not part of the contingent as he was in quarantine after his test result returned positive for COVID-19. In 86 Tests, Ashwin has taken 442 wickets and he is expected to be a crucial cog in the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team’s fortunes.The BCCI tweeted an image of the spinner in a team huddle ahead of the warm-up game in Leicester. The spinner was named in the XI.

After the IPL, Ashwin had played a Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) League red-ball match where he had bowled 20 overs to get some long form game time.

The Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team is off to some serious business in England as they embark on a campaign to win the Test series against England. The visitors are leading 2-1 in the series that had to be halted midway last year due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the Indian camp. The rescheduled Test will be played at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham from July 1. Before the all-important test, the Indians started their Tour with a warm-up game against Leicestershire on Thursday.

The start to the warm-up game was quite entertaining as Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill stepped on to the field to the tune of bhangra music and dhols. Dancers clad in traditional Punjabi dress could be seen dancing as the players made their way on to the field. Some of the Indian players could not hide their smiles at the situation.

The Indians are batting first against Leicestershire in the four-day warm-up game. The warm-up fixture will be an opportunity for the Men in Blue to acclimatise themselves in the new condition.

Star Indian players Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna have been added to the rival Leicestershire County Cricket Club (LCCC) squad. They are playing under county captain Sam Evans.