If Rohit passes the tests on Friday, they will likely put it on the next available flight to Australia, perhaps December 12. With strict coronavirus protocols in Australia, if Rohit travels to Australia, he will not be able to join the Indian squad immediately. You will have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine. By the time it’s over, it’ll be the end of the month. Then it will take time to enter test mode through network sessions, etc.
The first test begins on December 17 in Adelaide, followed by the Boxing Day test in Melbourne from December 26.
The big question after this will be: Will Rohit be ready for the match in time for the third test to be played in Sydney and is scheduled to start on January 7, 2021?
Rohit was not initially chosen for the Australian tour in any of the three squads (ODI, T20I, Trials). His name was later included in the test kit.
The 33-year-old had to miss the limited series of overs Down Under due to a hamstring injury suffered during IPL 2020, which also saw him miss a few games for his team, the Mumbai Indians. However, Rohit returned to play later and led his team to an unprecedented fifth IPL title. After the IPL, he did not travel with the Indian team to Australia, but instead went to the NCA for his rehabilitation.
If Rohit is also not available for the last two tests, it will mean that two key Indian hitters are missing. India will be left without the services of captain Virat Kohli after the first test in Adelaide. Virat has been granted paternity leave to return home after the opening test for the birth of her first child.
Sachin Tendulkar previously told ANI: “If Rohit passes all his physical fitness tests and is approved, then a player like Rohit should be there in Australia. If he meets all the parameters then he should be there.”
In Virat’s absence, it is even more crucial that India have someone like Rohit, who has had a new life in test cricket since he started opening for India in the longer format. But will Rohit be fit and ready to play?
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