The rescheduled fifth and final Test of the series between India and England began at Edgbaston on July 1.
A Covid-19 outbreak in the Indian camp forced the game's postponement from its planned schedule last year. The game was ultimately postponed to July 2022 because the then-head coach Ravi Shastri had tested positive as well.
Shastri talked about the "fear" that permeated the Indian dressing room prior to the postponed Test last year. Shastri is currently a member of the broadcasting team for the fifth Test.
Before the Edgbaston Test, the former head coach of the Indian team was asked on Sky Sports if it was conceivable to continue the match.
“At that time, it was very easy to jump the gun and say, 'you know, go out there and play'. But there were a lot of players with young families. The word on Covid was not a 100% certain thing. Anybody could've gotten it in the middle of the Test match, and then it would have been even worse. Now, the fear factor of getting Covid and being isolated isn't the same. People know they have to get on with it,” Shastri said on Sky Sports.
“That mindset wasn't there 8 months ago. Even the authorities didn't know whether they had the right to say, 'get on with it. Nothing's going to happen. It's just a 'flu'. They were justified to do what they did at that time, because of the mindset,” he added.
Shastri also said that he had wanted to "go on" with the Test using reserves even during those difficult periods, but it had been a difficult decision to make.
“Even then, I wasn't in the dressing room but I had half the mindset to get the reserves out and finish the series. But it was a tough call to take. Had anyone tested positive during the Test match, there would've been big problems,” added Shastri.
(Sky Sports inputs)
