In a major blow to the dreams and aspirations of billions of cricket fans in India, India’s star batsman Rohit Sharma has been left out of the travelling squad due to a fresh injury. The tragic news came from Mumbai on Monday, December 13. The Indian players are currently camping in Maximum City before its departure to the land of the Proteas. The newly appointed vice-captain of the Indian Test team, Rohit Sharma, had been honing his batting skills at the net here on Sunday. That is when the unfortunate incident took place. The medical team attached to the camp confirmed after careful examination that the injury that has been sustained by Rohit Sharma is concentrated on his left hamstring.
Rohit Sharma’s Absence Cause For Concern For The Team
Seeing as India has never won a Test series in South Africa, the absence of their stylish opening batsman would put a clear dent in their chances of making history this time around. Rohit Sharma has been in fine form for the national side all through this year and has scored the maximum amount of runs for the country. The upcoming series against South Africa will test all the Indian batsmen.
The wickets in South Africa are green and full of bounce. Losing a batsman of Rohit’s calibre and class could prove the difference between the two sides in the long run. The first of the three test matches would be beginning on Boxing Day, December 26. As Rohit Sharma has been advised to rest for a considerable amount of time, it is all but certain that fans would not get to see him in action at all in the forthcoming series.
BCCI Secretary Reads Out Press Release Suggesting The Same
The current BCCI Secretary Jay Shah was approached by reporters outside the board’s headquarters in Mumbai and was requested to make a statement about the situation concerning Rohit Sharma’s injury. He said, “Team India Test vice-captain Rohit Sharma sustained a left hamstring injury during his training session here in Mumbai yesterday. He has been ruled out of the upcoming 3-match Test series against South Africa. Priyank Panchal will replace Rohit Sharma in the Test squad.”
The team of doctors attending the injured Sharma are monitoring his condition continuously and are expected to provide the media with an update about his chances of making a recovery for the ODI series against the Proteas.
Rohit’s Replacement Familiar With Playing Conditions In South Africa
As is becoming a tradition under the present management of the BCCI, a team of young Indian players under the tag of India A has just finished its tour of South Africa. One of the star inclusions of this team has been batsman Priyank Panchal. His good performance had alerted the national selectors about his potential in foreign conditions, who duly added him to the squad in place of Rohit Sharma.
Panchal has received instructions from the BCCI to meet up with his senior India teammates in Mumbai, who are staying inside a bubble for the time being. Following that, Panchal will be quarantined as per strict board rules.
A BCCI official, when asked about Priyank Panchal’s case, commented that, “The team management thought that it would be a wise decision to call up Panchal as the cover. Even though the medical team will take a final call, Rohit might take some time to be completely match fit.”
Test Squad
Virat Kohli (C), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Priyank Panchal, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Siraj
Ajinkya Rahane Being Seen as Potential Stand-in Vice-captain
It would be interesting to see who the BCCI picks to fulfil the role of the vice-captain in the Indian team when they play South Africa. With not much time left for Team India’s departure for the tour to South Africa, the board may be compelled to pick Ajinkya Rahane as the stand-in Test vice-captain. One needs to remember that Rahane was recently removed from his role as the deputy to Test skipper Virat Kohli after a string of poor performances.
Another issue which the board has to address is the one surrounding the captaincy of the ODI squad. Immediately after the end of the Test series, Team India would play a limited-over ODI series. Rohit Sharma has been recently given the duty to lead the ODI team along with the T20 side. Without his presence, high chances are that the BCCI hierarchy would ask Kohli to take the reins of the team. There are even indications coming from internal sources that KL Rahul could also be the choice for the role of ODI skipper if the board members decide to overlook Kohli.
On this matter, the board official had this to say- “It’s too early to comment on this. The selectors are expected to make the ODI squad in a day or two and they are aware of all the developments and will take a call accordingly.”