India vs Australia 2020-21: Virat Kohli drops a bomb on Rohit Sharma's injury

Indian opener Rohit Sharma is nursing a hamstring strain that has put him out for most of India's tour of Australia, which gets underway from Friday. Meanwhile, Indian skipper feels that allowing Rohit to rehab in Australia would have made more sense.

Ayush Gupta

Sydney NSW, First Published Nov 26, 2020, 9:01 PM IST | Last Updated Nov 26, 2020, 9:01 PM IST

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Senior Indian opener Rohit Sharma's ongoing injury and the situation surrounding the same seems to be getting complicated with each passing day. Meanwhile, skipper Virat Kohli has another story to tell on the same.

As for Rohit's injury, he suffered a hamstring strain while playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, for Mumbai Indians (MI) during their clash against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), which saw twin Super Overs. It was then that he had to miss out on five games, before returning for the playoffs.

Rohit is yet to gain 100% fitness for the format and would only be cleared by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) by December 8. Although he can still make it to Australia by then, the quarantine norms would not allow him to train or play before December 22.

Meanwhile, Indian skipper Virat Kohli, too, sounded confused regarding the entire situation, deeming lack of clarity and uncertainty. "Before we had the selection meeting in Dubai, we had got an email two days before that, which said that he is unavailable for selection [as] he has picked an injury during the IPL," he said during a media interaction on Thursday, reports ESPNCricinfo.

"And, it mentioned there was a two-week rest and rehab period. The pros and cons and the implications of the injury has been explained to him and he understood that. And, he was unavailable for selection. That was the information we got on mail before the selection meeting. After that he played in the IPL, so we all thought on that flight to Australia, which he wasn't. And, we had no information whatsoever on the reason on why he is not travelling with us," added Kohli.

Kohli also stated that it was just recently that they were informed regarding Rohit's status and that the latter would be assessed on December 11 at the NCA. "And, after that the only other information officially we have received on mail is that he is in the NCA and he's been assessed, and he'll be further assessed on December 11," he continued.

"So, from the time that the selection meeting happened to the IPL finishing now, when this email came about his assessment at the NCA, there has been no information, there has been lack of clarity. We have been playing the waiting game on this issue for a while now, which is not ideal at all. So, yeah, it's been very confusing. There has been a lot of uncertainty and lack of clarity around the situation," asserted Kohli.

Kohli, meanwhile, felt that allowing Rohit and Ishant Sharma to travel to Australia and doing the rehab Down Under would have made the most sense. He also brought up the example of wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha, who too is making a recovery with the side in Australia, having injured himself during the IPL.

"Yeah, [it] definitely would have increased the chances of both of them playing Test matches. Someone like Saha, who also had an injury during the IPL and is here, and doing rehab with the team, so we are aware of his progress and he is on the right path to make sure that he is fit and available in time to play the Test series. And, same would have been the case with Ishant and Rohit as well - it would have given them a chance to get themselves fit and be available for the start of the Test series," Kohli wondered.

"Yeah, right now there is so much uncertainty on whether they are going to be able to make it, if they are going to be able to make it at all or not. It definitely would have been very helpful in them getting fit, if they were here and doing the rehab, just like Saha is with the team, to get fit for the Test series," concluded Kohli.