Rishabh Pant thanks Ravi Shastri for 'grand welcome' as he joins India camp after Covid-19 recovery

Rishabh Pant joined the Indian team after recovering from Covid-19 and completing a mandatory 10-day quarantine upon testing positive for Covid-19 on July 8. In a picture posted alongside team India’s head coach Ravi Shastri, a garlanded Pant can be seen welcomed back inside the team bubble.

“Thrilled to be back. Thank you @ravishastriofficial for this grand welcome”, Pant captioned the post with also a famous movie dialogue mentioned above it. After returning a positive test, Pant did not feature in the three-day warm-up fixture against County Select XI at Chester-le-Street ahead of the five-Test series against England, which goes underway from August 4 in Nottingham.

On Thursday (July 22), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also posted a welcome post for the Indian wicketkeeper. “Hello @RishabhPant17, great to have you back,” read their tweet. Meanwhile, the other wicketkeeper batter Wriddhiman Saha, reserve Abhimanyu Easwaran, training assistant Dayanand Gurani and bowling coach Bharat Arun were also asked to quarantine in London after they were deemed a close contact of Pant.

In order to maintain the security and health of all the players, the BCCI has ensured that the players are tested regularly, while they have also been administered the second dose of vaccination. “The entire Indian contingent including travelling family members and caretakers were administered with the second dose of covid vaccine earlier this month in London. To mitigate any further risks, the Indian contingent is taking the Lateral Flow Test on a daily basis. #ENGvIND,” BCCI had tweeted earlier this week.

हार 🌺 के बाद ही जीत है और जितने वाले को कहते है बाज़ीगर😎🤣
Thrilled to be back. Thank you @RaviShastriOfc for this grand welcome pic.twitter.com/qy8QN2waqv

— Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) July 22, 2021

Hello @RishabhPant17, great to have you back 😀#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/aHYcRfhsLy

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 21, 2021

Washington Sundar, Avesh Khan ruled out of England Tests

While Pant’s return is a positive for the team, India has lost the services of both Washington Sundar and Avesh Khan to finger injuries. Both Khan and Sundar were a part of the warm-up fixture and were representing the County XI on ECB’s request as two members of the county’s final eleven had to miss out at the last moment owing to an injury or coming in contact with a Covid-19 positive case.

Khan fractured his thumb as he was fielding against India, while Sundar also injured a finger leading to his exit from the series. This comes after India has already lost opener Shubman Gill to a shin injury, and he is understood to have returned to India.