ZCZC
BSP-06
CRICKET-AUS-IND-KOHLI-SHARMA
Ishant Sharma out of Australia series as Kohli blasts ‘confusing’ messages
SYDNEY, Nov 27, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – India suffered a blow Friday with fast
bowler Ishant Sharma ruled out of their Test series against Australia, as
skipper Virat Kohli blasted a lack of clarity over the fate of star opener
Rohit Sharma.
Ishant has been struggling with a side strain picked up during the Indian
Premier League, and while he has recovered officials said he was not match
fit.
“While he’s building up his workload in order to achieve Test match
fitness, Ishant Sharma has been ruled out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” the
Indian cricket board said in a statement.
Senior batsman Rohit hurt his hamstring last month and will have another
assessment on December 11, six days before the opening day-night Test in
Adelaide.
Complicating matters was his father falling ill in Mumbai, which delayed
Rohit’s arrival at India’s National Cricket Academy to begin his rehab.
Kohli said the way the matter had been handled was “very confusing” and
that both players should be in Australia to complete their recoveries.
“It definitely would have increased the chances of both of them playing
Test matches,” he said in video comments from his hotel room in Sydney ahead
of the opening one-dayer against Australia on Friday.
Kohli, who has been undergoing a mandatory 14-day quarantine along with the
rest of the India squad, said he was expecting Rohit to be on the plane to
Australia with everyone else.
“We had no information whatsoever on the reason why he’s not travelling
with us,” said the skipper, who will return home after the opening Test for
the birth of his first child.
“And after that, the only other information officially we’ve received by
mail is that he’s in the NCA and he’s been assessed and he’ll be further
assessed on December 11.
“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 a 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.”
India play four Tests against Australia in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and
Brisbane following their six-match limited overs series.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0931 hrs