Will Indian captain Rohit Sharma feature in Perth Test?
What's the story
Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma is still in Mumbai, gearing up for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy scheduled in Australia. Although he has been grinding at the Reliance Corporate Park (RCP) and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) facilities, it remains unclear if he will play the first Test in Perth owing to personal reasons. As per a source close to the development, "there is no clarity yet on his departure."
Family matters
Rohit's absence due to wife's expected delivery
Rohit's likely absence from the first Test is because his wife Ritika Sajdeh is expecting their second child in the third week of November. A source was quoted by India Today saying, "Rohit Sharma won't travel with the team to Australia. There were suggestions he might travel but now he isn't. His wife's delivery is expected next week."
Personal commitment
Australia departure hinges on personal circumstances
Rohit's decision to travel to Australia will be taken after the birth of his second child. The source explained, "It all depends on how things unfold on the personal front." They added that Rohit has been performing his duty as a father, which is to stay with his wife and family. But he is also ensuring to be well-prepared for the Test series by practicing whenever possible in Mumbai.
Team departure
Indian team left for Australia in two batches
Notably, the Indian cricket team left for Perth in two batches on November 10 and 11. The first batch comprised Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Washington Sundar among others. They were joined by assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. The rest of the squad, including head coach Gautam Gambhir, departed on November 11.
Leadership plans
Bumrah to lead in Rohit's absence
In Rohit's absence, Jasprit Bumrah will lead the Indian cricket team Down Under. This was confirmed by coach Gambhir who also pinned Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul as potential replacements for the opening slot. The much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy will begin in Perth on November 22 and end with the Sydney Test, starting January 3.