Xtra Time Web Desk: Legendary Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the exclusion of Rohit Sharma from the India squads for the forthcoming tour to Australia starting next month. Rohit was not included by the selection committee chaired by new Chairman Sunil Joshi. The reason is not yet known but in the release sent by BCCI, it was mentioned, “The BCCI Medical Team will continue to monitor the progress of Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma,”
Here lies the confusion as moments after the release Mumbai Indians shared two tweets which showed Rohit batting in the nets. In the video posted a little while after the teams were announced, Rohit can be seen going full tilt in the nets while batting.
This led former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar asking for some clarity on the entire issue. Gavaskar was speaking during the post match show of the IPL encounter between Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders on host broadcaster Star Sports.
“We are talking about the Test matches, which are a month and a half way,” Gavaskar said.
“And if he is practising in the nets for Mumbai Indians, then honestly I don’t know what kind of injury it is. I think a little bit of transparency, a little bit of openness about what actually is the problem with him will help everybody,” he added.
Gavaskar referred to KXIP opener Mayank Agarwal, who too has been sidelined for his franchise’s last two matches but has been named in the squads for all three formats.
“The Indian cricket fan deserves to know, more than anything else. The franchisees, I understand. They don’t want to give their hand away. They don’t want to give the oppositions any psychological advantage. But we are talking about the Indian team here. Even Mayank Agarwal for example. For an Indian cricket fan, they ought to know what happens to two of their key players,” Gavaskar said.
The Mumbai batsman would have been a huge asset for Virat Kohli’s team in the top order given his stature. Ever since opening the batting in test cricket at home against South Africa in 2019, Rohit has been in tremendous form. He missed out on the test series against New Zealand at the start of the year which India lost 0-2. The fans were anticipating a great duel between Rohit Sharma and Oz pacers – the likes of Mitch Starc, Josh Hazzlewood, Pat Cummins and James Pattinson.