Rohit to miss first Test; Bumrah to lead

K.L. Rahul of India walks from the field after being struck on his right arm from a ball delivered by Prasidh Krishna of India during the internal practice match between India and India A at the WACA on November 15, 2024, in Perth, Australia. File
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Jasprit Bumrah will lead India in a Test match for the second time after captain Rohit Sharma officially pulled out of the opening match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, starting in Perth on Saturday (November 23, 2024).

Rohit is understood to have on Sunday (November 17, 2024) conveyed to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the team management and the national selection panel about his inability to join the squad in Perth. The India captain had stayed back in Mumbai for the birth of his second child. Ever since Rohit’s wife, Ritika, delivered a baby boy on Friday (November 15, 2024), rumour mills were abuzz that the skipper was likely to travel to Perth in time for the opening Test against Australia.

However, Rohit quelled all the doubts on Sunday, preferring to spend additional time with the family. The Hindu understands that Rohit will join the squad in Adelaide, ahead of the two-day warm-up game under the lights at the end of the month and will be raring to go for the second Test match.

Rohit’s absence will mean Bumrah – who led once in England in 2022 – will wear the captain’s jacket while walking out for the toss on Friday. In anticipation of Rohit’s likely absence for the Perth Test, the national selection committee had reappointed Bumrah as the vice-captain for the home series against New Zealand.

Rohit’s absence will also mean Yashasvi Jaiswal – playing in Australia for the first time – will have a new opening partner for the first time in his career. Ever since Jaiswal’s debut in the West Indies in July 2023, he and Rohit have opened India’s innings for 14 Test matches in succession.

Rahul likely to open

K.L. Rahul, who proved his fitness by batting for an hour during India’s last day of centre-wicket simulation at the WACA stadium on Sunday, is likely to be Jaiswal’s opening partner. It will be interesting to see whether Dhruv Jurel is preferred at No. 3 as a specialist batter, in place of the injured Shubman Gill.

The BCCI is yet to officially confirm Gill and Rohit’s unavailability for the Perth Test.