Virat Kohli, Ishant Sharma, Bumrah get first dose of COVID-19 vaccine

India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, pacers Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah and opener Shikhar Dhawan have already got their first dose of vaccination.

India captain Virat Kohli and fast bowler Ishant Sharma were administered their first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine on Monday.

"Thankful for this and grateful for all the essential workers. Happy to see the smooth running of the facility & management. Let's all get vaccinated at the earliest," Ishant wrote on his twitter handle.

Team-mate Cheteshwar Pujara, joined the duo in getting his first dose of the vaccine and was also accompanied by his wife to the vaccination centre.

"Puja and I got our first dose of the vaccine today. Urge each one of you to try and get yours too if eligible," Pujara tweeted.

On Tuesday, pacer Jasprit Bumrah received his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. "Vaccinated. Please stay safe everyone," tweeted the India and Mumbai Indians speedster along with a picture.

Vaccinated. Please stay safe everyone. pic.twitter.com/8ZrclDh2LI

— Jasprit Bumrah (@Jaspritbumrah93) May 11, 2021

 

Women's national team opener Smriti Mandhana on Tuesday said she received her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Mandhana, who last featured in the home series against South Africa in March, posted a picture on her Instagram captioning it: "Please stay safe and get yourself #Vaccinated."

Joining them was wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik.

India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, pacer Umesh Yadav and Senior opener Shikhar Dhawan have already got their first dose of vaccination.

Head coach Ravi Shastri was the first from the Indian men's cricket team to take the vaccine. He got his first jab in the first week of March.

India will play the WTC final from June 18 to 22 in Southampton and the Test series against England from August 4, starting in Nottingham, to September 14, with the last Test scheduled for Manchester.

 

Kohli's side is expected to leave for England on June 2, and given the duration of the tour as well as possible contingencies due to the pandemic, the selectors picked a total of 24 players, including standbys Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan and Arzan Nagwaswalla.

Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja and Hanuma Vihari returned to the squad after missing the recent home Tests against England because of their respective injuries.