ANI
Sydney
India Test captain Rohit Sharma is expected to be rested for the fifth match against Australia starting at the Sydney Cricket Ground from Friday, with Jasprit Bumrah set to lead the side, said sources.
Rohit has struggled to find form in this series, managing only 31 runs in his six innings in three of the four Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy played so far. He was unavailable for the Perth Test and joined the team from Adelaide, but since then, he has failed to make significant contributions with the bat.
Bumrah, who has been brilliant in this series, led the team in the first Test at Perth and secured a convincing 295-run victory over Australia.
Earlier on Thursday, head coach Gautam Gambhir mentioned that the playing eleven would be announced before the game, after assessing the pitch at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
“Every individual knows which areas they need to work on. When you play for your country, you want to give your best. I think the discussions between a player and a coach should remain private and restricted to the dressing room,” Gambhir said at the pre-match press conference.
Asked whether Rohit will be part of the playing eleven for the Sydney Test, given that the 37-year-old didn’t attend the press conference, Gambhir reassured that everything is fine with the captain.
“Everything is fine with Rohit and we will announce the playing XI tomorrow after evaluating the pitch. We have had one main conversation in our dressing room - how we will win the next test, as it is crucial for us,” Gambhir noted.
Australia clinched 184-run victory over India in the Melbourne Test, taking 2-1 lead in the series and denting India’s chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord’s early next year.
The Sydney pitch traditionally offers runs in the first half of the game, with spinners becoming more influential as the match progresses. However, rain is predicted for the final day and on Thursday, which could aid fast bowlers more than usual. The teams winning the toss may look to bat first to capitalize on the early batting conditions.
Australia’s star pacer Mitchell Starc, who struggled with fitness during the Melbourne Test, experiencing upper body discomfort and rib soreness, has been declared fit to play in Sydney.
Australia skipper Pat Cummins praised Starc’s resilience. “He has bowled 145 km/hr for almost 15 years, and you just don’t do that without always dealing with different niggles or setbacks. He grits his teeth and gets on with it. He’s the one player who just refuses ever to talk about being rested or rotated,” said Cummins.
Australia XIcColor:> Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
India probable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah (c), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
