Reports: Rohit Sharma might lead India in Tests in Virat Kohli’s absence on Australia tour

BCCI announced the revised India squads on Monday for the upcoming Australia tour. The major update in the press release was the skipper Virat Kohli missing the last three Tests of the tour. He has been granted the paternity leave with his wife Anushka Sharma expected to give birth to their first child early in January. At the same time, Rohit Sharma was added to the Test squad but was rested from ODI and T20I squad.

It has brought to rest all the speculations around Rohit who wasn’t included in any of the squads announced on October 26. Soon after the team announcement, the Mumbai Indians skipper had come out to train in the nets probably making a statement and it had caused quite a stir. Moreover, he also played a couple of matches for his franchise and was eventually added in the team for the tussle in the longest format Down Under.

Interestingly, the reports suggest that Rohit Sharma might end up leading team India in Tests in Virat Kohli’s absence. Ahead of the announcement of the revised squads, a source in the BCCI had told Times of India that the management desperately wants Rohit to be absolutely fit for the Test series with the regular captain not playing.

Test Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane’s poor form in Tests
The source had also said that the limited-overs vice-captain might also lead the team with Ajinkya Rahane not in the greatest of forms in whites. “With Kohli set to miss the last three Tests of what is set to be a tough series, and Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane in poor form, we need Rohit for the Tests against a formidable Australia. He may even lead the team in the Tests. We want to give him complete time to recover from his hamstring injury,” he had said.

Though the BCCI hasn’t confirmed anything yet, this comes as a sensational development and it remains to be seen if Rohit Sharma leads the team down under. It also depends on how Rahane performs in the warm-up games and the first Test which will be played under the lights in Adelaide.