Bumrah To Captain, Big Debut Expected In 1st Aus Test - Report's Huge Claims

Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma will not play in the first Test match against Australia starting November 22 and Jasprit Bumrah will serve as captain in his absence, according to a report by Indian Express. The report claimed that Rohit has already informed the BCCI that he will be spending more time with wife Ritika Sajdeh following the birth of their second child. While Bumrah will be captaining the team in the first Test, Rohit is expected to be back for the second match in Adelaide. 

“We were hoping that he (Rohit) will travel but he has informed the BCCI that he can't go now as he needs some more time. He will be flying to Australia for the pink-ball Test match, the second match, in Adelaide. There is a nine-day gap between the first and second Test matches, so Rohit will be able to be there on time,” a BCCI official told Indian Express.

The report further claimed that all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is likely to receive his maiden Test cap in the first match in Perth. The team management is looking to play him as a fourth seam option and with the pitch expected to provide some extra bounce, he is being considered as the perfect fit.

While the India squad does have pacers like Akash Deep, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna, Reddy is the only fast-bowling all-rounder in the India squad for the Test series against Australia.

 In what comes as welcome news for India in their build-up to the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test starting on November 22, KL Rahul returned to batting during the team's training session at the WACA Stadium on Sunday.

During India's intra-squad match simulation on Friday, Rahul retired hurt on 29 after taking a blow to his right elbow by a climbing delivery from tall pacer Prasidh Krishna, and was forced to go off the field with the physio. As he left grimacing in pain, Rahul didn't return to batting for the rest of the day and on Saturday as well.

Various reports coming from Perth on Sunday said Rahul was put through a solid practice of the Indian team, where players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant hadn't turned up at the WACA. It also said Rahul spent nearly an hour batting on the centre wicket, before commencing further practice at the nets.

(With IANS inputs)