Bengaluru: India opener Rohit Sharma on Friday (December 11) cleared an eagerly-watched fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and will leave for Australia on December 14, three days before the start of the marquee Test series against the world’s no.1 team.
Rohit had suffered a hamstring injury during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, which led to him missing the white-ball leg of the ongoing tour. He is also out of estimation for the first two Tests but can now be a part of the last two games.
Speaking to ANI, sources in the know of developments said that the batsman is fit for the rigours of international cricket. “He has passed the fitness test and the future course of action will be decided by the BCCI and the selection committee,” the source said.
“The BCCI Medical Team has been monitoring Rohit Sharma’s fitness and has briefed All-India Senior Selection Committee on the same. In consultation with Sharma, it has been decided to rest him for the ODIs and T20Is in Australia to regain full fitness and he has been included in India’s Test squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” the BCCI said in a release on November 9.
Earlier, India skipper Virat Kohli had said there was a confusion over Rohit’s injury status and all that could have been controlled better by the management.
“Well, before we had the selection meeting in Dubai, we got a mail two days before which said that Rohit is unavailable for selection because of the injury he picked up during the IPL. It mentioned a two-week rest and rehab period, and it said that the pros and cons of the injury were explained to Rohit and he understood that.”
“It was the information we got by mail but after that, he played in the IPL. We all thought that he would be on the flight to Australia which he wasn’t and we had no information whatsoever on the reason behind him not flying to Australia,” Kohli had said.
“After that, the only information we have received on mail is that he is at NCA and he will be further assessed on December 11. So from the time the selection meeting happened and the IPL ended and now when this mail came about his assessment, there has been lack of clarity, we have been playing the waiting game on this issue and this is not ideal at all,” he further added.
