There has been much ambiguity around team India opener Rohit Sharma’s availability for the upcoming series in Australia. The recently concluded IPL 2020 season saw him pick up a hamstring injury against KXIP. Subsequently, he had to stay out of the game for several days.
Initially, it seemed unlikely that Rohit would recover in time to partake in the highly-anticipated clash of the international heavyweights. But those doubts disappeared once Rohit made himself available for the Mumbai Indians’ (MI) playoffs matches. Subsequently, he was also drafted in the Indian test team for the Border Gavaskar series, further strengthening the prospects of him playing down under.
Things, however, complicated yet again when Rohit didn’t join his Australia-bound national teammates on the flight from the Emirates. Instead, he returned home to India and even underwent rehab at Bengaluru’s National Cricket Academy (NCA).
14-day quarantine rule set to keep Rohit and Ishant out of the first two India-Australia tests
As it presently stands, Rohit’s injury status is still quite unclear. As per reports, he and fast-bowler Ishant Sharma might recover in time to feature in the last 2-games of the 4-test series. But it’s almost certain that the two will miss out on the series’ first couple of matches; owing to the necessary 14-day quarantine.
With the limited information that’s currently available, some fans have been quick to question Rohit’s decision of heading back home in the first place. But it seems that there’s more to his story.
According to senior cricket journalist Boria Majumdar, Rohit’s choice to travel back to India wasn’t fitness related at all. In a recent interview with Sports Today, Boria explained that Rohit returned home only to be with his ailing father in Mumbai.
“Rohit’s father in Mumbai suffering from COVID”- Boria Majumdar
“The reason Rohit didn’t travel with the team [to Australia], came back to Mumbai with Mumbai Indians is because his father had COVID,” Boria told Sports Today.
“If he didn’t want to play the red-ball series, he wouldn’t have gone to the NCA. He could have easily stayed back with Ritika (wife) and family. So there is absolutely no reason to say that Rohit didn’t want to play the red-ball series,” he added.
Some sources close to the Indian cricket board suggest that the BCCI has negotiated with the Cricket Australia to relax Rohit and Ishant’s quarantine. Neither player has departed for Australia yet, and are currently undergoing training at the NCA.