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Gautam Gambhir turned down the request to include Rohit Sharma in the playing XI, prioritizing India’s victory in the Sydney Test and their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship final.
New Delhi: Amid ongoing speculation about his place in the Indian Test team due to a prolonged dip in form since September, captain Rohit Sharma reportedly chose to “opt out” of the playing XI for the fifth and final Test against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. With just 31 runs in the series, Rohit recorded the worst average (6.20) by a touring captain in Australia. As a result, he will be replaced by Shubman Gill, with KL Rahul expected to open the innings alongside Gill in Sydney.
A media report earlier in the evening stated that Rohit Sharma had “informed coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar of his decision to opt out,” with both agreeing to the move. However, a fresh report from news agency PTI indicated that it was, in fact, Gambhir’s decision to drop the 37-year-old. Prioritizing a win in Sydney, Gambhir believed that securing a victory would not only help India retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but also keep their slim chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship final alive for the third consecutive time.
The report mentioned that an “influential cricket administrator, who commands significant respect in the BCCI,” requested Gambhir to “allow Rohit to play the Sydney game and bow out from the Test arena.” However, the head coach declined the request, choosing to prioritize India’s victory in Sydney to keep their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship final alive.
In a tense pre-match press conference ahead of the series decider, Gautam Gambhir, who stood in for Rohit, remained tight-lipped about the captain’s spot in the playing XI. When asked about Rohit’s absence from the press conference, Gambhir responded, “Everything is fine with Rohit. The head coach is there. That should be fine. That should be good enough. We’re going to have a look at the wicket and finalize the starting XI tomorrow.”
Pressed further on whether Rohit would feature in the XI for Sydney, Gambhir reiterated, “I just said that we’re going to have a look at the wicket and announce a playing XI tomorrow. The answer remains the same.” Despite Rohit being present at the nets, his omission from the slip cordons during India’s fielding drill at the SCG fueled more speculation regarding his inclusion in the final XI.
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