The India versus Australia Test series looks more enthralling as ‘Hitman’ Rohit Sharma joins the Indian squad for the third Test in a rather interesting turn of events after Australia confirmed the return of David Warner.
Sharma was forced to miss the previous Tests owing to the hamstring injury he sustained during the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Having recovered from the injury, he passed the fitness test earlier this month. With about a week remaining in the start of the third Test, Sharma has still time to practice and get back in form.
“Rohit joins the team tomorrow. We will have a chat with him to see where he is placed physically because he has been quarantined for a couple of weeks. We will have to see now how he feels before we take the call,” team India head coach Ravi Shastri had told reporters on Tuesday.
Sharma’s inclusion in the team will bolster the batting performance of the team. However, this has caused the selectors to take a tough call between dropping either Mayank Agarwal or Hanuma Vihari, both of whom have not delivered up to the expectations so far.
“It will be a toss-up between Mayank and Vihari. Dropping Mayank will be a tough call since he has scored hundreds and double hundreds over the last 18 months. I am still not sure about Rohit opening because he is coming after a long break. Will he prefer to open or bat in the middle order? That is another question,” former BCCI selector MSK Prasad told PTI earlier.
Rohit’s position in the playing XI hasn’t been decided yet. Former Indian star player Sunil Gavaskar expressed his opinion on Sharma’s position in the batting line-up of the playing XI. He said, “I will have Mayank-Rohit opening, Gill in the middle order, and Vihari goes out for the third Test.”
India evened out the series with Australia 1-1 by clinching the victory in the Boxing Day Test match by 8 wickets, under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy.
India will now lock horns with the hosts in the third Test that will commence on January 7.
