Rohit Sharma’s absence from the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia has been officially confirmed, as he does not feature in the Indian squad for the Sydney Test. Jasprit Bumrah will lead the team in this high-stakes encounter, as India looks to level the series 2-2 and retain the prestigious trophy.
🚨 "Captain" Rohit Sharma's name is not even in the Indian squad. pic.twitter.com/uhOdxPTrwL
— Vishal. (@SPORTYVISHAL) January 2, 2025
This follows a recent report by Indian Express stating that Rohit had informed head coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar about his decision to sit out, which was reportedly agreed upon. This development has raised speculation about Rohit’s future in Test cricket, as India’s chances of making the World Test Championship (WTC) final in the current cycle are slim.
Shubman Gill, who was dropped for the Melbourne Test, returns to the XI and will bat at number three, with KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal opening the innings. Rishabh Pant retains his position as the wicketkeeper-batter, while Prasidh Krishna replaces the injured Akash Deep.
Bumrah, who captained India to victory in the series opener, now has another chance to showcase his leadership. Head coach Gambhir was seen strategizing with Bumrah during training, indicating a focused approach to the decisive match.
🚨 Here's #TeamIndia's Playing XI 🔽
UPDATES ▶️ https://t.co/cDVkwfEkKm#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/BO2pofWZzx
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 2, 2025
India’s Playing XI:
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- KL Rahul
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Rishabh Pant (wk)
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Washington Sundar
- Jasprit Bumrah (c)
- Prasidh Krishna
- Mohammed Siraj
