The opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which begins on November 22 at Perth’s Optus Stadium, will not feature Rohit Sharma as India’s captain. According to information obtained by ESPNcricinfo, Rohit, who remained at home to give birth to his second kid, would be included in the India team prior to the second Test, a day-night encounter that begins in Adelaide on December 4.
Although Rohit had already informed the national selectors and the BCCI that he might be unable to attend the Perth Test, he had left open the possibility of last-minute travel depending on the child’s birthdate. Rohit and his wife Ritika welcomed their second child on Friday, a week before of the first Test, prompting the prospect of his flying to Perth. Before the day-night Test in Adelaide, Rohit has informed the BCCI that he is available to participate in the two-day pink-ball warm-up match against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI.
In Rohit Sharma’s absence, vice captain Jasprit Bumrah will captain India in Perth. When Rohit tested positive for Covid-19, Bumrah led India in the fifth Test of their two-part 2021–22 tour of England at Edgbaston.
With No. 3 Shubman Gill expected to miss the Perth Test due to a fractured thumb, India will now start the Test series without two of their first-choice top three players. KL Rahul and the untested Abhimanyu Easwaran were the two leading options to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal in Rohit’s absence, but there is now a potential that both will appear.
On Sunday morning, however, Rahul returned to the crease and batted for almost an hour, allaying any anxieties.
Devdutt Padikkal, who was a member of the India A’s shadow tour of Australia and has remained with the Test team, will be another top-order contender for India in addition to Abhimanyu and Rahul.
Read More: Shubman Gill picks up thumb injury a week before Perth Test
