In a surprising turn of events, Rohit Sharma has decided to withdraw from India’s fifth and final Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The 37-year-old, currently going through a tough phase, took this decision in agreement with head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, as reported by The Indian Express.
With Rohit’s absence, Shubman Gill is set to return to the playing XI, and Jasprit Bumrah will assume the captaincy for this crucial Test. KL Rahul will also return to the opening slot alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, with Gill, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant filling the middle order.
Rohit informed Gambhir and Agarkar about his decision to sit out, and both have agreed to it. This Test against Australia marks India’s final red-ball fixture in the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. If the BCCI decides not to retain him for the next WTC cycle, the Melbourne Boxing Day Test could mark his last appearance in Test cricket.
Reports indicate that during training on the eve of the match, Gambhir had long conversations with Bumrah while fielding drills took place. Rohit appeared briefly at the nets, batting with side-arm bowlers, but skipped his usual slip-catching practice. This fueled speculation that Rohit’s absence from the Sydney Test was in the works.
Gautam Gambhir had earlier hinted during a press conference that Rohit might not feature in the Sydney Test. With India needing a win to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the absence of their regular captain adds an extra layer of intrigue to this pivotal match.
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