Virat Kohli accepts lack of clarity over Rohit Sharma injury not ideal

Tags: India, Rohit Gurunath Sharma, Virat Kohli

Published on: Nov 27, 2020

Team India skipper Virat Kohli has admitted that there has been a lot of uncertainty over the availability of Rohit Sharma for the Test series in Australia, which starts from December 17. Rohit and Ishant Sharma, both of whom were injured during the IPL, did not travel to Australia from the UAE. It is now emerging that they could miss either the first couple of Tests, or even the entire series.

"Right now there's so much uncertainty on whether they're going to be able to make it, if they're going to be able to make it at all or not. It definitely would have been very helpful in them getting fit if they were here and doing the rehab just like Saha is with the team to be fit for the Test series," Kohli said.

After Rohit suffered a hamstring injury during the IPL, he was initially not picked for the Australia tour, and later added to the Test squad. To add to the confusion, Rohit turned out for Mumbai Indians in the playoffs, and even top-scored in the final. However, he did not travel to Australia with the Indian team, and instead returned to India and worked towards his recovery at the NCA in Bangalore. Ishant too has been at the NCA with Rohit.

"Well, before we had the selection meeting in Dubai, we got a mail two days before that, which said that he's unavailable for selection. He's picked up an injury during the IPL and it mentioned that there's a two-week rest and rehab period," Kohli said.

Since Rohit had played in the IPL towards the end of the tournament, he was expected to be on the flight to Australia. But, that did not turn out to be the case.

"It said that the pros and cons and the implications of the injuries have been explained to him and he understood that. And he was unavailable for selection and that was the information that we got on mail before the selection meeting. After that he played in the IPL so we all thought that he's going to be on that flight to Australia, which he wasn't.

"And we had no information on whatsoever reason for why he's not traveling with us. And after that, the only other information officially we've received on mail is that he's in the NCA and he's been assessed and he'll be further assessed on 11th December.

"So from the time that the selection meeting happened to the IPL finishing and now when this email came about his assessment in the NCA, there's been no information. There's been lack of clarity and we've been playing the waiting game on this issue for a while now which is not ideal at all. So it's been very confusing and there's been a lot of uncertainty and a lack of clarity around the situation," Kohli laments.

According to Kohli, the chances of Rohit and Ishant playing in the Test series would have been greater if they had travelled to Australia from UAE after the IPL, like Wriddhiman Saha did.

"Yeah it definitely would have increased the chances of both of them playing Test matches. Someone like Saha who had an injury during the IPL is here doing his rehab. So we're aware of his progress and he's on the right path to make sure that he's fit and available in time to play the series."

"And same would have been the case with Ishant and Rohit as well. It would have given them a chance to get themselves fit and be available for the start of the Test series," added the Indian captain.

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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