In the press conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground today, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir declined to confirm whether captain Rohit Sharma would participate in the upcoming fifth Test against Australia. Gambhir stated that the final decision regarding the playing XI would be made after assessing the pitch conditions on the morning of the match.
Sharma’s form has been under scrutiny throughout the series, with the opener accumulating only 31 runs across five innings. His struggles have coincided with India’s 2-1 deficit in the series, making the Sydney Test crucial for retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
During the press conference, Gambhir was repeatedly questioned about Sharma’s absence and potential exclusion from the playing XI. He responded, “Everything is fine with Rohit. The head coach is here. That should be fine. That should be good enough. We’re going to have a look at the wicket and finalise [the starting XI] tomorrow.”
Speculation intensified when Sharma, despite participating in the training session, did not take part in slip fielding drills, a role he traditionally occupies. Instead, Virat Kohli was seen practicing at first slip, further fueling rumors about a potential change in team composition.
Addressing reports of internal discord following the Boxing Day Test loss, Gambhir dismissed such claims, emphasizing the importance of honesty within the team. He stated, “Those are just reports. That’s not the truth. I don’t think I need to answer any reports, to be honest. There were some honest words, that’s all I can say. And honesty is extremely important if you want to go on and achieve some great things.”
Gambhir expressed confidence in his team’s ability to secure a victory at the SCG, despite India’s last win at this venue dating back to 2011. He remarked, “We know we’ve got the skill set, we’ve … . Not only here, [but we can] probably go on to do some …
The fifth Test between Australia and India is scheduled to commence on Friday at 10:30 AM AEDT. India must win this match to level the series and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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