Washington Sundar played as a lone spinner under Jasprit Bumrah's captaincy in the Perth Test against Australia, while seasoned campaigners like Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were not picked.

Rohit Sharma, who missed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener due to the birth of his second child, has now returned to Australia to lead the side in the remainder of the five-match Test series.

On the eve of the second Test in Adelaide, Rohit addressed a press conference, where he admitted that it was a difficult decision to snub both Ashwin and Jadeja from the Perth Test but added such calls are necessary for the greater good of the team.

"It's always hard to leave out experienced players like [Ravindra] Jadeja and [R] Ashwin. But I think the decision was made for whatever was best for the team at that particular time," Rohit told reporters.

The vastly experienced duo of Ashwin and Jadeja share 855 wickets between them in Test cricket. Rohit reaffirmed their importance to the five-Test series.

"I certainly see them playing a huge role in the rest of the series because what they bring to the table can never be written off," Rohit said about Ashwin and Jadeja.

The Indian captain also explained why the team is backing Sundar as a long-term replacement for Ashwin.

"We have seen what he can do with the ball, with the bat. He's got a solid technique to play anywhere in the world. And when such guys are in the team, you get confidence. And with Washy especially, now I just hope that he stays away from injury and doesn't get injured. Because a player like him is always valuable to our squad. [He] gives us that balance, that depth that a team always requires. So with Washy, I can see his graph from here going up only," Rohit remarked.

India lead the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-0, following their impressive 295-run victory in Perth. The second Test, which will be played with the pink ball, is due to get underway on December 6.