The five-match Test series in the Border—Gavaskar trophy will start on November 22 in Perth. According to the latest source, Indian captain Rohit Sharma has not traveled with the team to Australia and is likely to miss the first game of the series.
Several reports claim that Rohit Sharma and his wife Ritika Sajdeh are expecting their second child. For the same reason, the Indian skipper will be staying back with the team. He will remain here until the third week of November.
A source from India Today said, “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.”
After the New Zealand series ended, Rohit said he was “not too sure” if he would be in Perth on November 22 for the first Test.
Sunil Gavaskar had a strong reaction to the news that Sharma might miss the first Test. Talking to Sports Tak, Gavaskar stressed that it’s important for the captain to be present for the first match. He also suggested that the selection committee should make Jasprit Bumrah the captain and let Rohit Sharma play as a regular team member in the series.
Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Washington Sundar, Sarfaraz Khan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal have left for Australia to prepare for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
A day before yesterday, news broke that Rohit Sharma’s wife Ritika Sajdeh has praised Aaron Finch who has supported Rohit Sharma for paternity leave in India. Finch said that if a player like Rohit Sharma is asking for a leave, the management should not have any problem approving so.
During the 2021 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Virat Kohli also asked for paternity leave in the middle of the series, when Vaamika was born.
India Squad For Border-Gavaskar Trophy:
Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.
Travelling reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed.
