Rohit Sharma May Sit Out 5th Test against Australia - Captaincy Shift

Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma is expected to be 'rested' for the fifth Test match against Australia which is starting Thursday in Sydney, according to the sources. Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is ready to lead the team in his absence. Rohit has been struggling in the ongoing 5-match Test series, with only 31 runs across 3 matches.

He missed the first Test due to the arrival of his second child and decided to stay back with his family. Anyhow, since rejoining the team, he has failed to make significant contributions. He had led the team in the first Test which was in Perth, which India won by 295 runs.

Previously, during the pre-match press conference on Wednesday, head coach Gautam Gambhir added fuel to the rumors by not providing a proper response about Rohit's participation. When asked about his availability for the Sydney Test, Gautam Gambhir mentioned that the decision would be made based on the condition of the pitch.

"Everything is fine with Rohit and I don't think it's anything traditional (fronting up for the pre-match presser). The head coach is here and that should be good enough. We are going to have a look at the wicket and finalise it tomorrow," Gambhir stated to the reporters in Sydney.

“I just said that we're going to have a look at the wicket and announce a playing XI tomorrow. The answer remains the same,” he elaborated.

With India trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, the Sydney Test holds a great importance for their hopes of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) Final.

India must win the match and hope for favorable results in the series between Australia and Sri Lanka later in January. The defeat in the Melbourne Test came as a big shock, as it left India’s WTC Final hopes dependent on other outcomes instead of their own performance.

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