All the speculations on Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma's availability in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 are ended as both players have been ruled out of the series's first two matches. Both players are going through a recovery process at National Cricket Academy, Bangalore.
Rohit and Ishant both suffered an injury during Indian T20 League. Ishant was ruled out of the tournament and Rohit joined Mumbai in the final half of the tournament. Selectors didn’t include him in the ODI and T20 squad. Now, look at the negative reports on their recovery at Bangalore. Management took a big call to drop both players from the first two Tests.
Australia has already implemented a 14-day quarantine rule, and the duo can start training after two weeks if they come to Australia in the next two weeks. With enough time, they can be ready for the Third Test, which will start on January 7 in Sydney.
If we talk about the better chances of seeing any player in the Test series, Rohit’s name appears first, according to BCCI. The right-hand batsman is recovering from the hamstring issue, and we might see him back in the XI for the last two Tests. The most possible date to see Rohit in Australia is December 08, and he can start his training before the Boxing day Test, but lack of fitness and training will keep him out of the playing XI. Ishant’s injury concern is big, and in Test matches, the pacer has too much workload. If he can bowl 15-10 overs a day, management can consider him in the XI, but it looks slightly difficult for him.
"If there is a T20 game and he needs to just bowl four overs, Ishant is good to go immediately, but for him to get back to Test-match fitness, he needs four weeks of proper bowling still," a BCCI source issued a statement.
Team India has already started training in Sydney. BCCI hasn’t announced any replacement for Rohit Sharma, but there are reports that Shreyas Iyer may stay in Australia after the white-ball series to join the Test squad. For Ishant, a backup pacer is yet to be announced, but management has already taken three reserve bowlers Kartik Tyagi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, and Ishan Porel.
