Rahul Dravid leaves Team India, flies to Bengaluru alone due to health issues, might rejoin before 3rd ODI
Former India captain and current head coach Rahul Dravid left for Bengaluru early on Friday morning.
While the rest of the Indian cricket team including other support staff members will leave for Thiruvananthapuram later in the day for the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka. Dravid took an early morning flight from Kolkata to Bengaluru due to health reasons.
He reportedly complained of blood pressure issues during the second ODI on Thursday and was checked by doctors of the Cricket Association of Bengal.
There are no reasons to be worried about Dravid’s health as he is absolutely fine and is likely to join the team in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday before the match on Sunday. Photos of Dravid boarding the Bengaluru-bound flight looking healthy also went viral on social media.
The India head coach, who turned 50 on January 11, has flown to Bengaluru to consult his doctors and get some precautionary tests done.
India have been in fine form in the Sri Lanka series so far. After winning the T20Is 2-1, the hosts have taken an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. The Rohit Sharma-led side registered a resounding 67-run win in the series opener in Guwahati on the back of some outstanding batting performances from Rohit, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli.
In the 2nd ODI in Kolkata, it was their bowlers who took the centrestage. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who replaced leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who had a niggle, broke the backbone of the Sri Lanka batting unit by picking three crucial wickets including one of captain Dasun Shanka, on his return to 50-overs cricket.
Mohammed Shami, Umran Malik and Mohammed Siraj were amongst the wickets too as India bowled Sri Lanka out for 215 on a placid batting track.
The hosts did have some early hiccups in the run-chase after Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli departed early but Shreyas Iyer (28), Hardik Pandya (36) and KL Rahul steadied the innings. Rahul remained unbeaten on 64 to take India home in the 43rd over with four wickets in hand.