Sydney [Australia], January 3 (ANI): Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting feels India skipper Rohit Sharma is now standing a “long way back” from returning to the Test side after sitting out in Sydney.
Speculations and rumours came true when Jasprit Bumrah walked out at the SCG during the time of the toss instead of Rohit. The rumour mill started to report about the seasoned opener’s absence from the playing XI due to his lack of involvement in the training session.
Even head coach Gautam Gambhir remained tight-lipped when he was asked about Rohit’s involvement in the Sydney Test in the pre-match press conference.
“I think the reaction has been that they all sort of expected that it might happen,” Ponting told The ICC Review at the SCG.
“The chat’s been for the last couple of days that everyone expected that Rohit would not play this game, that Shubman Gill would come back in and that (Jasprit) Bumrah would probably take over the captaincy again, and that’s the way it’s turned out,” he added.
Rohit has been going through a lean patch since appearing in the home Test against Bangladesh. His struggles continued in the historic defeat against New Zealand and extended to Australia.
“I was very surprised when I heard the term ‘opting out’ coming into such an important game. We know he’s been a great stalwart for Indian cricket over a long period of time. So the way that they’ve actually worded it, you can only take it at face value,” he said.
“We’ve got to believe what we’re hearing coming out of the Indian camp, but being such a big game, knowing that they have to win this one to retain the trophy, it was an interesting time for one of their more experienced players to opt-out,” Ponting added.
With the final Test of the ongoing BGT series set to conclude on Tuesday, India won’t feature in Test format for the next seven months. India will begin its next WTC cycle by touring England, with the first Test beginning on June 20.
“You’d think it’s probably a long way back for Rohit Sharma now in this format of the game. India don’t play a Test match, I believe, until the middle or late June, which is a long way away when you’re sort of coming to the back end of your career,” Ponting said.
“I think he’s been a terrific player for India, so with those sort of guys, you wish them all the best and hope to see them back out there again, but as I said, I think it will be a long – and probably difficult road – back for him,” he added.
During India’s historic 3-0 home series whitewash against New Zealand, the fiery opener, who has lost his flamboyance, contributed just 91 runs across three Test matches, averaging 15.17.
Even before the series loss against the Kiwis, when India faced Bangladesh, the dynamic opener amassed a mere 42 runs in two Test matches while averaging just 10.50.
In the ongoing BGT series, Rohti has just 31 runs to his name in three matches and five innings in this series at an average of 6.20 and best score of 10. (ANI)
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