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Time running out for Rohit Sharma, Ishant for Test series: Ravi Shastri

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Time is running out for both Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma to get the chance to play in the upcoming Test series against Australia, India head coach Ravi Shastri has suggested. Shastri has said that the duo will have to take the flight to Australia within a period of next four-five days if they have to stand any chance to feature in the Test team for the series starting December 17. Shastri made these observations keeping in mind the novel coronavirus induced restrictions for 14 days that both the players will be put under after landing in Australia.


"He's going through some tests at the NCA and they're obviously going to decide how long he needs to take a break. But things could get difficult if he's asked to wait for too long, then you're talking of the quarantine again, which might make it really tough for even him to come just in time for the Test series," Shastri said to ABC Sport. 


Indian team is scheduled to play a warm-up game from December 11 which is almost mandatory to get into the team for the Test series and for both Rohit and Ishant to feature in the warm-up game they will have to come out of the quarantine latest by December 10, for which the duo will have to reach down under by November 26.


Rohit was not included in the limited-over series of the tour but coach Shastri said that he can’t afford a rest for a very long period of time. He said that Rohit will have to be on the flight to Australia if he has to play in the Test series.


"He was never going to play the white-ball series, they were just looking to see how long he needed the rest, because you can't afford to be resting for too long. If you need to play in the Test series or any red-ball cricket, you've got to be on the flight in the next three or four days. If you aren't, then it's going to be tough,” Shastri added in his comment on Rohit’s availability for the Test series.


If Rohit Sharma makes it in time for the Test series, he is certain to partner Mayank Agarwal at the top of the order and a lot of India’s fortunes will lie on his shoulders, especially in the absence of full-time skipper Virat Kohli who will return home after the first Test in Adelaide.

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