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Indian Test skipper Rohit Sharma "stood down" after his struggle with the bat in Australia. Rohit took the decision and conveyed it to coach and team management after coming to Sydney for the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Rohit responded to speculations of retirement from the format and said that he is not going anywhere. He looked visibly unhappy over rumours of him retiring from Test cricket and said that people will always doubt but they will not decide whether he plays or retires. He also said that India should have bowled first in the ongoing Test instead of batting.
"What happens in leadership is, everyday you will not have a good day. Ideas and mindset can be the same, but sometimes the result won't work in your favour. We know that a lot of people are going to judge us, but I will never doubt myself. It could be wrong sometimes, but we all go there with a mindset to win. Like yesterday, we should have bowled on that wicket instead of batting, such things happen," Rohit said.
Indian batters struggle on bouncy Sydney pitch
After Bumrah opted to bowl first, Indian batters toiled hard in the middle but none of them could go on to get a big score. Australian bowlers were relentless in their approach as they made Indian batters work hard of their runs. Rishabh Pant was the top-scorer with 40 runs from 98 balls. Rohit's replacement, Shubman Gill scored 20 runs from 64 balls before his soft dismissal to Nathan Lyon at the stroke of lunch. Bumrah contributed with a 17-ball 22 cameo featuring a six off a slower ball bowled by Australian captain Pat Cummins.
Indian pacers stage comeback
However, Indian bowlers made early inroads after teenager Sam Konstas fired up Bumrah. Usman Khawaja fell on the last ball of Day 1. Early in the first session on Day 2, Bumrah got rid of Marnus Labuschagne for a single-digit score whereas Mohammed Siraj struck twice in the 12th over to remove Konstas and Travis Head. Then Prasidh Krishna dismissed an in-form Steve Smith just before the lunch break. Australia were 101 for 5 after the first session.
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