Ravi Shastri opens up on book launch controversy in London during IND-ENG Test series

Bengaluru: "In that book launch, I was the only guy who got Covid that's what the media thinks but I think I got that in Leeds," Shastri cleared the air when he was blamed for Covid outbreak in the team ahead of the fifth and final Oval Test in London against England.

Shastri was referring to his book launch event that took place two days before the fifth and final Oval Test. The media had then blamed him for Covid outbreak in the team which forced the organisers to cancel the match.

India were leading 2-1 in a five-match Test series.

Clarifying with Republic TV, Shastri said, "First of all, Boris Johnson (British PM) opened England on July 19. There was no bubble. The country was open. We went to Leeds. We stayed in a hotel where the entire public was on the floor. We used the same lifts as the people staying in a hotel.

"We came to London. It's all open. You can go where you want to go. Certain places which I cannot mention. How we were told not to go by the anti-corruption unit or the security or whatever, but otherwise, everything was open."

So then, the Tiger he is. Known for his candidness, he was blunt in speaking his mind out against a section of media, who he alleged were running an agenda against him.

Narrating one episode, Shastri said a section of the media were planting stories about leaked images in the internet of Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and himself attending a public event, implicating that they had violated Covid norms.

He said, "Absolutely! Big time planting! Puji (Pujara)? You mentioned Pujara, you think Pujara will break a rule? You think he will break a rule? Now that immediately tells me that's a serious plant." (UNI)