Ahead of the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series in Sydney, uncertainty looms over Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s place in the playing XI. In the pre-match press conference, coach Gautam Gambhir fueled speculation by stating that a decision would be taken after assessing the pitch on the morning of the match.

When asked directly about Rohit’s inclusion in the PC, Gambhir replied, “We will look at the pitch and take a call tomorrow.”

This statement has increased speculation about the captain’s position in the team, especially after a series of low scores and questions about his form throughout the series.

Asked about Rohit’s absence at the press conference, Gambhir said, “Everything is fine with Rohit.”

“The head coach is there. That should be fine. That should be enough.

“Let’s take a look at the wicket and finalize (the starting XI) tomorrow.”

Despite his response, reporters pressed further on whether Rohit would play the final Test, but Gambhir was quick to shut them up: “I just said that we are going to take a look at the wicket and announce an 11th match tomorrow. The answer remains the same.”

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Rohit Sharma’s struggles continue

Rohit’s form has been a cause of concern for the Indian team management. Since returning from paternity leave after the birth of his second child, Rohit has failed to deliver impactful performances. His batting record during 2024 was quite questionable. The skipper averaged 24.76 in 14 Tests in 2024. On the tour of Australia, he missed the first Test due to the birth of his son, but on his return he struggled to get runs. In the three Tests he played, Rohit has the highest score of 10 and an average of 6.2.

Rohit’s lack of contribution has put additional pressure on the team’s batting line-up which was already dealing with an out-of-form Virat Kohli. His dismissal patterns in the current series have often looked soft, raising questions about his confidence and shot selection.

Before the press conference, Gambhir was seen having a long conversation with bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who captained India during their only win in Perth. Later, Rohit joined the discussion before heading to the field for a warm-up football session with the rest of the team.

Further adding to the speculation was the fact that Rohit Sharma did not play in the slips as usual in the training session for India. While Virat Kohli took Rohit’s place at first slip, KL Rahul was second slip and Nitish Kumar Reddy was third slip. For spinner, it was Shubman Gill who was fielded at slider, while usually it is Rohit who occupies the key spot.

KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who opened for India in the Perth Test in Rohit’s absence, formed a 201-run partnership that set the tone for India’s victory. With the series now 2-1 in favor of Australia, India still has a chance to level the series and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, the team management’s decision on Rohit could significantly influence the balance of the team.

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If Rohit does not play, Bumrah will take over from him for the key Test match that could be India’s last chance to fight for a place in the 2025 WTC final, although that now also depends on other results going their way.

Meanwhile, Australia have also confirmed changes to their XI with Mitchell Marsh dropped and Beau Webster set to make his Test debut. Meanwhile, captain Pat Cummins is expected to miss the first or possibly even both Tests on the tour to Sri Lanka, which could decide Australia’s place in the 2025 WTC final.

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