Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Gautam Gambhir provides an update on Rohit Sharma, back-up opener | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir, while addressing the media in Mumbai on Monday, ahead of the team’s departure to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, provided an update on captain Rohit Sharma’s availability in the first Test in Perth starting November 22.
Answering to a query, Gambhir said, “There is no confirmation on Rohit as of now, hopefully he will play. We will let you know before the series.”
In case Rohit does miss the first Test, Gambhir said, “We have Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul in the squad so we will play the best XI and take the call before the first Test.”
Rohit’s absence will undoubtedly put a lot of pressure on India in the tour opener. Despite his poor run of late and the embarrassing 0-3 whitewash at home against New Zealand, Rohit’s presence at the top and as a captain on the field has proved to be the difference.
Rohit’s dismal run with the bat has evidently affected his captaincy, as he also admitted that he wasn’t at his best as a skipper.
Talking about numbers, in the four innings of the two Test matches that India won against Bangladesh at home, the 37-year-old Rohit could score just 43 runs at a sorry average of 10.50, with a highest of 23.
In the three-Test series against the Kiwis, which saw India hit a historic low by getting whitewashed for the first time in a three- Test series on home soil, Rohit’s bat produced just 91 runs at an average of 15.16 and a highest of 52, which is his only score of 50 or more in the last 10 Test innings.
India will open the five-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy with the first match in Perth, beginning November 22.
In Rohit’s absence, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah will lead the team in the tour opener.
India need to win 4 Tests in Australia to directly qualify for the World Test Championships final that is scheduled to be held at Lord’s in June 2025.