India's head coach Gautam Gambhir appeared for the pre-match press conference on the eve of fifth Test against Australia which is scheduled to start from January 3 in Sydney.
Gautam Gambhir on Rohit Sharma's place in India's playing XI for Sydney Test
India are trailing the five-match series 1-2 following their crushing 184-run defeat against Australia in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. India captain Rohit Sharma's performance has come under scanner after he back-to-back flop show with the bat in Tests.
ALSO READ: Australia announce playing XI for Sydney Test against India, star player dropped, suspense over Mitchell Starc ends; 31-yr-old to make debutMeanwhile, when asked about Rohit Sharma's spot in India's playing XI for Sydney Test, coach Gambhir remained tightlipped and chose not to reveal anything before toss. He refused to confirm whether Rohit Sharma would be in the starting XI and said it will be announced at the toss. However he instead made it clear that Akash Deep will be missing the final Test due to a back injury. After missing the series opener in Perth, Rohit has played three matches so far in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy and has amassed just 31 runs across five innings, which only highlights his batting woes. Rohit's dismal run with the bat has also left many talking about his retirement from the longest format of the game.
"We are going to have a look at the wicket and announce the playing XI tomorrow," Gambhir said in the press conference ahead of Sydney Test.
Rohit Sharma's batting disaster
Rohit's struggles extend beyond his captaincy woes. His batting form has also taken a significant hit. Across the three series he's played this season, including two at home, Rohit has managed only 164 runs in 15 innings, averaging a dismal 10.93 with just one half-century. His performance in Australia has been particularly concerning, with 31 runs scored and only one double-digit score. This poor run in Australia has seen Rohit's average plummet to a disheartening 6.20. This figure holds the unfortunate distinction of being the lowest-ever batting average for a touring captain in a Test series in Australia, surpassing the previous record held by West Indies legend Courtney Walsh, who averaged 7.75 in the 1996/97 tour.
Meanwhile, Australia have revealed their playing XI for the fifth and final Test against India with massive changes. Australia have dropped Mitchell Marsh and replaced him with Beau Webster, who will be making his debut in Sydney. Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc has been declared fit to feature in the final showdown in Sydney.
Australia's Playing XI for 5th Test against India
Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (captain), Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.