In a major blow to the Indian cricket team, the experienced Ishant Sharma and Rohit Sharma might reportedly miss the entire Test series against Australia.
The four-match Test series begins in Adelaide on December 17, with the Indian team competing in three ODIs and three T20Is prior to that. Rohit was initially left out of all three squads, but later added to the Test contingent.
But according to a report in the Mumbai Mirror, both cricketers will not be able to recover in time for the four-Test series.
The two cricketers who were injured during the IPL have been undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore and the reports emerging are not very encouraging.
The report in Mumbai Mirror mentioned, “A meeting of the experts of the NCA is understood to have taken place recently when the fitness status of the duo was discussed and then informally conveyed to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, national selectors and the team management. A formal communication is expected soon.”
A couple of days back, India head coach Ravi Shastri had said that Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma must travel to Australia in the next three or four days, if they are to join up with the squad in time for the Test series.
“He’s going through some tests at the NCA and they’re obviously going to decide how long he needs to take a break. But things could get difficult if he’s asked to wait for too long, then you’re talking of the quarantine again, which might make it really tough for even him to come just in time for the Test series,” Shastri said in an interview on ABC Sport’s Summer Grandstand.
Rohit Sharma, the Mumbai Indians captain, had led his side to the fifth Indian Premier League title earlier this month and in an interview had mentioned that his rehab was going well.
“Hamstring is feeling absolutely fine. Just started the process of getting it nice and strong. Before I play the longer format, I absolutely needed to be clear in mind that there is no stone that is left unturned, that’s probably the reason, I’m at the NCA,” Rohit had told PTI from Bengaluru recently.
But it will be the absence of Ishant Sharma that will hurt India’s chances even more as it will disturb the established pace attack and open up gaps that Australia will look to exploit.
