Rohit Sharma is expected to join the Indian team in Australia on November 24, and set to play the two-day pink-ball tour game from November 30 in Canberra, ahead of the day-night Test in Adelaide. Sharma had delayed his departure to Australia due to the birth of his second child.
Rohit decided to skip the opening Test in Perth, starting Friday and in his absence, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah will lead the team at the Optus Stadium. Rohit’s absence, along with the injury to Shubman Gill, has left the Indian team to rejig the batting order, besides finding a new opening combination with Yashasvi Jaiswal.
“I spoke with Rohit earlier. But I got a little bit of clarity on leading the side after coming in here,”Bumrah said at the pre-match presser on Thursday.
Rohit’s return will boost the side ahead of the crucial Pink Ball Test in Adelaide, from December 6-10. The two-day pink-ball fixture against the Prime Minister’s XI at the Manuka Oval could serve as valuable preparation for Rohit, who has been under scrutiny for his batting slump.
The star right-hander will be hoping to find some form, having managed only 91 runs in six innings at an average of 15.16 against New Zealand at home recently.
India had last played a day-night Test, against Sri Lanka, in Bengaluru in March 2022, when they won by 238 runs. When India last played a day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval, they folded for 36 in their second innings but they bounced back spectacularly to win the series 2-1 in 2020-21.