Amid ongoing speculation about his future and performance in the Indian Test team, captain Rohit Sharma has reportedly “opted out” of the playing XI for the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. This decision comes after a disappointing run with the bat since September. Rohit scored just 31 runs in the series, marking the lowest average (6.20) by a touring captain in Australia. Shubman Gill is set to replace him, while KL Rahul will open the innings in Sydney.
Earlier reports suggested that Rohit himself informed coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar about his decision to step aside, with both agreeing to his choice. However, a fresh report by PTI indicates that it was Gambhir who made the call to drop the 37-year-old, prioritizing a win in Sydney to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and keep India’s slim chances alive for a third consecutive World Test Championship (WTC) final appearance.
The report also revealed that Gambhir faced pressure from “an influential cricket administrator with significant clout in the BCCI,” who requested that Rohit be allowed to play the Sydney Test as his farewell to the format. However, Gambhir declined the request, focusing instead on India’s chances of securing a victory in Sydney and maintaining their WTC aspirations.
