India coach Rahul Dravid on Sunday rejoined his team in Dubai, after testing negative for Covid, just hours before their blockbuster opening Asia Cup clash against Pakistan.

Dravid, a batting great and former captain, tested positive for the virus just before the team's departure to the United Arab Emirates for the tournament, which is a warm-up for the T20 World Cup later this year in Australia.

VVS Laxman, who had joined the team as coach in place of Dravid, will return to Bangalore to oversee an India A programme, a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India said.

The arch-rivals will begin their campaign in a hotly-anticipated match at a venue where India were thrashed by Pakistan by 10 wickets in last year's T20 World Cup.

The match will be a landmark 100th Twenty20 international for India superstar Virat Kohli, who stepped down after the World Cup and who is under pressure because of an extended lean patch of batting form.