In a recent post-match press conference, Indian captain Rohit Sharma raised concerns about his availability for the upcoming first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in Perth, scheduled for later this month. Citing personal reasons, Rohit expressed uncertainty about his participation, stating, “Not sure whether I will be going, fingers crossed,” following India’s disappointing 0-3 series defeat to New Zealand.
Should Rohit be unable to play, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah is expected to take the reins for the series opener, with Abhimanyu Easwaran likely stepping in as his replacement.
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The significance of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has increased following India’s loss, as both teams aim to secure a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Rohit acknowledged the team’s numerous errors during the series, emphasizing that they failed to put up competitive scores in the first innings of the matches played in Bengaluru and Pune. “We made a lot of mistakes, and we need to accept that,” he said, reflecting on the series. “We thought we were ahead after getting a 30-run lead in this last Test, believing the target was achievable, but we needed to perform better.”
According to Indian media, Rohit also addressed his struggles with the bat throughout the series, expressing disappointment in his inability to execute his game plan effectively. However, he praised younger players like Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant for demonstrating resilience on challenging, spin-friendly pitches. “You have to be ahead and proactive. We’ve been playing on such pitches for the last few years and know how to succeed. Unfortunately, this series didn’t go our way, and that’s tough to swallow. I wasn’t at my best as both a player and a captain, and that’s something I will carry with me,” he concluded.
