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India captain Rohit Sharma has started practising in Mumbai for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 which is scheduled to take place in Australia from November 22. The 37-year-old is unable to travel with Team India as he is expecting his second child with his wife Ritika Sajdeh.
As per TOI, Rohit has been training and also had a hit at the Reliance Corporate Park (RCP) as the Indian skipper wants to utilise his time in India so that he is ready for the challenge Down Under. The Indian captain has been using both Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) facilities and RCP for his sessions. However, there is still no clarity on when he will join the squad in Australia.
"There is no clarity yet on his departure. It all depends on how things unfold on the personal front. He is doing what any father would at this stage, which is to stay with his wife and family. But at the same time, he is ensuring to be well-tuned for the Test series and will be batting at every possible opportunity in Mumbai," says a source aware of developments quoted by TOI.
Indian cricket players departed for Perth from Mumbai in two groups on November 10 and 11. Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Washington Sundar travelled with assistant coach Abhishek Nayar on November 10, while the remaining players, along with head coach Gautam Gambhir, departed on November 11.
Star batter Virat Kohli was the first to arrive in Perth, landing on Sunday evening. The former captain was seen at the Mumbai airport with his wife Anushka and their two children late Saturday. Vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, however, did not join the second group and travelled separately on Monday night.
Who will lead India in Rohit's absence?
The Indian team management has outlined a strategy for the opening Test, with coach Gambhir confirming that Bumrah will captain the side in Rohit’s absence. He also identified Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul as the main options for the opening role. The much-anticipated series begins in Perth on November 22 and wraps up with the Sydney Test, starting January 3. The second Test in Adelaide will be a Day-Night match, and the visiting team will play a two-day warm-up game in Canberra ahead of that encounter.
