India’s head coach Rahul Dravid has tested positive for Covid-19 and will join the Asia Cup squad later in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the country’s cricket board said on Tuesday.

Dravid returned a positive result in a routine test carried out before the team’s departure for the UAE, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.

“Mr Dravid is under the supervision of the BCCI medical team and has mild symptoms.

“He will join the team once he returns with a negative Covid-19 report,” Shah said.

India will begin their title defence with a mouth-watering August 28 clash with arch-rivals Pakistan in the six-team Twenty20 tournament.

Bilateral cricket remains suspended between the two countries, but they play each other in multi-team tournaments.

A day after Sri Lanka take on Afghanistan in the Asia Cup opener, India and Pakistan will lock horns in the tournament’s most anticipated match.

Pakistan beat India by 10 wickets in a T20 World Cup match in Dubai last year in their previous encounter.