Speculations are rife that India captain Rohit Sharma could face an axe from India's playing XI for the fifth Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 3. First India's head coach Gautam Gambhir's evasive response when questioned about Rohit's spot in India's playing XI.
Rohit Sharma to miss Sydney Test against Australia?
On being quizzed about Rohit's prospects for final Test, Gambhir remained tightlipped on the final decision and said that it would be decided after assessing the Sydney wicket. Notably, Rohit was absent from the pre-match press conference, with Gambhir saying that his own presence was sufficient.
"We are going to have a look at the wicket and announce the playing XI tomorrow," Gambhir said during the pre-match press conference.
But another incident during India's nets session dropped a big hint on Rohit's possible exclusion from the final Test in Sydney. Rohit was not part of the potentially new-look slip cordon during India's practice session. With Kohli at first, KL at second and Reddy at third. While Shubman Gill was taking catches at slip for a spinner. If Rohit is indeed dropped, Shubman Gill is the most likely candidate to replace him in the playing XI. Gill was previously dropped from the fourth Test after a series of poor performances.
Should Rohit be excluded from the team, Jasprit Bumrah will likely assume the role of captain for the final Test. Bumrah previously led the team to a historic win in Perth during Rohit's absence.
Rohit Sharma's batting woes
Hitman's recent form with the bat has been a cause for concern. Across the three series he has played this season, including two on home soil, he has scored only 164 runs in 15 innings, averaging a mere 10.93 with just one half-century. His struggles have been particularly evident in the ongoing tour of Australia, where he has managed only 31 runs with just one double-digit score.
This poor run in Australia has resulted in a dismal average of 6.20 for Rohit. This figure sets a new record for the lowest batting average by a touring captain in a Test series in Australia (with a minimum of five innings). Previously, this unwanted record belonged to West Indies bowling legend Courtney Walsh, who averaged 7.75 during the 1996/97 tour of Australia.
India currently trail 1-2 in the series and must win the final Test in Sydney to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. A win in Sydney would also keep their hopes alive for a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2024 final.
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.