Rohit Sharma to Join Indian Team in Adelaide; To Play a Warm-Up Game Before the Pink Ball Test | Report

Last Update:18 November 2024 00:08 IST

Rohit Sharma will reportedly rejoin the squad ahead of the 2nd Test in Adelaide and will be part of the warm-up game ahead of the Pink Ball Test.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma. (Image Credit: AP)

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma is likely to rejoin the team ahead of the pink-ball test in Adelaide. The captain will also reportedly play a warm-up game before the second Test.

According to a report prepared by ESPNCricinfoRohit had stayed home for the birth of his second child. He had already contacted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the selectors regarding his absence. Still, she kept her options open for a possible last-minute trip based on the birth of her child.

India will start the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series without two top-order batsmen. Rohit’s absence was mentioned earlier and number three batsman Shubman Gill will miss the opening Test due to a fractured thumb.

Both KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran are frontrunners to take the opening berth to partner Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the batting order but it is a possibility for both of them to feature in the opening Test.

In addition to the two, India also have the option of playing young left-handed batsman Devdutt Padikkal, who has been asked to stay in Australia with the Test team. He played one Test against England in Dharamsala, where he scored a half-century.

Rohit’s presence in the team will be extremely important as the team hopes he can do what it takes to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 ​​final. For India to secure their position, they will need to win four of the five Tests against Australia and draw in one, which will be a tough ask.

India will be keen to make a statement following their series defeat against New Zealand on home soil, which has raised many questions regarding the side’s batting concerns. Names like Rohit and Virat Kohli have been in the spotlight and senior stars will be keen to respond to criticism.

India may consider playing one of the bowling all-rounders with Delhi’s Harshit Rana and Andhra Pradesh’s Nitish Reddy to add some more firepower to the batting unit. Both players have had a great season in the Indian Premier League and are yet to make their Test debut.