Doshi was also present at the event which was held in London.
Former India cricketer Dilip Doshi has made some shocking revelations about the event that forced the cancelation of the fifth and final Test of the five-match series between India and England in Manchester.
Team India head coach Ravi Shastri, skipper Virat Kohli alongside other members of the touring side attended a book launch event in London before the fourth Test, and later almost all the supporting staff contracted COVID-19, leading to the cancellation of the final Test in England last week.
While the BCCI had already made it clear that the Indian team didn’t take permission from the board to attend the event, English media and fans are slamming the tourists for their reckless move, as this forced the authorities to cancel the final Test in Manchester.
Now on Wednesday (September 15), Doshi, who was present at the book launch in London, has revealed that a lot of members of the Indian team attended Shatri’s book launch event and were not wearing masks to protect themselves from the deadly Coronavirus.
He further revealed that most Indian team members didn’t stay for more than five to ten minutes after witnessing so much crowd at the event.
As reported by India Ahead, Doshi said: “I was present at the book launch. A lot of dignitaries, and Team India were present there for a short while and none of them was wearing a mask.”
Meanwhile, Shastri had insisted that he can't be blamed for the COVID-19 cases in the Indian team since the entire UK was open at that time and Doshi agreed with the head coach’s point but said they should have worn the masks at least for their own safety while attending the public event.
The 73-year-old explained, “Whether the society has to wear a mask, whether it is mandatory or not is decided by the politicians. Prime Minister Boris Johnson decided that England was safe enough because of the double vaccinated program and a lot of people have been vaccinated here therefore immunity is apparently high and so it was then the society is open to all avenues and they did that.”
He concluded, “So, there are two ways of looking at it. That’s one aspect of life but as a touring team when you are here on a mission then I would expect that every time the Indian team or the Indian squad are offering themselves in public where there is little more crowd, if I were then I would definitely be wearing a mask, not because I don’t trust others but I am barring myself from getting infected.”
(With IANS Inputs)