Srinagar: Team India skipper Rohit Sharma is likely to miss 5th Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test vs Australia in Sydney as coach Gautam Gambhir has rejected request to include captain in Playing XI.
Despite multiple changes to his batting position, Rohit was unable to score big for his side and he is likely to be replaced by Shubman Gill in the playing XI for the Sydney Test.
“It is learnt that an influential cricket administrator, who commands a lot of respect in the BCCI, has had a word with the head coach to explore if the skipper can be allowed to play the Sydney game and bow out from the Test arena. However, the head coach’s priority is to ensure India wins in Sydney and remains in hunt for a place in the WTC final. Such is the state of affairs that Rohit was more comfortable speaking to his deputy Bumrah and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar than Gambhir,” the PTI report quoted Sources.
“We will take a call on the playing XI after looking at the pitch,” Gambhir gave a cryptic reply to a straight query on whether Rohit will play”.
If it happens, Rohit will become the first Indian captain to be dropped on account of poor form and he would have none to blame except for the abysmal return of 31 runs from five innings.
Should this happen, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who has been the team’s top performer with an astonishing 30 wickets in four outings at a sub-20 average, will take over the leadership role. It was under Bumrah’s captaincy that India won its only Test on the tour so far — the lung-opener in Perth.