Rohit Sharma’s availability in the upcoming Test series between India and Australia, which begins on December 17, is dependent on whether the white-ball vice-captain is deemed fit by the NCA in Bengaluru or not.
As per reports in Mumbai Mirror, the BCCI and the NCA have consulted three surgeons for Rohit’s injury before proceeding with a soft treatment on his hamstring. After the India opener arrived in Bangalore for recovery and rehab, he was shown to three noted experts, all surgeons, and a decision was arrived at that there would be no need for surgery.
He will be assessed on December 11, and though there is no surety how his rehab shapes up there seems to be an air of optimism in the BCCI that he will be able to play the last two Tests against Australia.
Rohit suffered the injury during the IPL in the UAE and despite advice from people like coach Ravi Shastri and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, he didn’t withdraw from the tournament. The perception is whether or not his participation in the IPL aggravated his injury, but it definitely delayed his recovery by more than three weeks (22 days).
He suffered the injury on October 18 and stayed in the UAE till the final on November 10.
“Of course, the decision will have to be made by the selectors and team management. The NCA will explain where he stands and when he can be fully fit,” an official in the know told this paper.
On the other hand, Ishant Sharma, who suffered from an abdominal injury during the IPL, has now recovered and is in rehab. He was fit by November 20 and he could have been eligible to play a T20 game on November 21 itself. But to be Test-fit, he needed at least four weeks to work on his workload.
“He would have bowled four overs in a T20 game and that he can do that even now. The problem is he has to slowly build on his workload for a Test match,” the official explained.
He would have to achieve fitness to bowl 20-25 overs a day for Test matches and hence despite being fit, he was ruled out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Another issue was the stringent two-week quarantine rule for Ishant’s availability. If Ishant had reached Australia by November 22, he could have been ready by December 22, well in time for the second Test which starts on December 26.
But the quarantine meant that he would not get any practice for six weeks in total and taking into account how the two-week inertia would have affected his body, the selectors decided against sending him to Australia.
A similar rule would apply to Rohit as well, even if he is declared fit by December 11, he will have to stay totally indoors for two weeks in Australia and will get just a week to prepare for the third Test which starts in Sydney on January 7.
Other injured stars expected to report to the NCA
Apart from these two, other stars who suffered injuries during the IPL 2020, are also expected to report to the NCA to start their recovery and rehab.
These include Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who had a grade 2-3 injury to the thigh muscle, is expected to be in the Bangalore facility till mid-January. Vijay Shankar with a hamstring injury is being assessed.
Varun Chakravarthy, who was initially picked in the T20I squad for Australia, is in quarantine in Bengaluru and will report to the NCA to get his shoulder injury assessed.
(Mumbai Mirror inputs)
