The senior hitter has received a detailed training schedule for his 14-day quarantine in Sydney.
Rohit Sharma has been declared “clinically fit” by the medical team at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru after his three-week rehabilitation period for a hamstring injury.
On Saturday, the BCCI issued a statement clarifying that Sharma had been evaluated for his hitting, fielding and running through the wickets, and that NCA medical personnel had found his physical condition “satisfactory.”
As ESPNcricinfo reported on Friday, Sharma passed the NCA assessment and is expected to fly to Sydney from Mumbai via Dubai on Sunday to begin a tough 14-day quarantine outside of India’s current biosecurity bubble. The statement also said that Sharma would nevertheless have to continue working on his resistance during his harsh quarantine in Sydney; your participation in the last two tests will depend on the assessment of your “fitness” by the medical staff of the Indian team.
Sharma has also received a detailed training program for the quarantine period.
If all goes well, Sharma will be available for the last two India Trials of the four-game series in Australia in January.
While there is the question of whether Sharma will come out ready for the match after the 14-day quarantine, it is understood that the eight-day gap between the second and the third test, which begins on January 7, encouraged management to have to the senior batter. in the mix.
This official BCCI communication potentially ends a weeklong saga about Sharma’s fitness and availability for the Australian tour, a topic that had even left India captain Virat Kohli confused last month.
Sharma had initially been left out of the tour due to the hamstring injury he sustained during the IPL, and the BCCI said he would be “monitored.” Sharma missed four games to the Mumbai Indians in the IPL at the time, but returned, after being left out of the teams for the Australian tour, to lead his team to the title. At the time, on November 9, BCCI was saddened that the selectors had decided to “rest” Sharma from the white ball leg in Australia so he could get a more NCA-focused rehab and be in contention for the Trials. . He was subsequently named to the team for the last two Trials, subject to how his rehabilitation was.
Sharma was the starting starter before missing India’s final test round in New Zealand earlier this year, also due to injury. India currently has several opening options with the team as they prepare for the start of Trials, but Sharma is expected to strengthen the line-up, particularly after Kohli goes on paternity leave after the first Trial in Adelaide.
Varun Shetty is deputy editor of ESPNcricinfo
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