Rohit would ‘love’ to play Test series against Pakistan in neutral venue
Bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan has been put on hold since Misbah-ul-Haq’s team last toured India to play a three-match ODI series way back in 2012-13.
BCCI on Thursday confirmed that Rohit Sharma had resumed training with the Indian team in Melbourne ahead of the third Test against India, beginning on January 7 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Rohit, who missed the first two Tests of the four-match series between India and Australia due to injury, had been in a 14-day hard quarantine in Sydney after his arrival from India in mid-December. He flew to Melbourne on Wednesday to join the team.
On Thursday, the BCCI tweeted pictures of the India opener doing catching practice.
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“The engine is just getting started and here is a quick glimpse of what lies ahead,” the BCCI wrote on twitter with the pictures.
Rohit’s match fitness will be crucial as he has not played any cricket since the Indian Premier League final on November 10.
Since arrival, the hard quarantine has meant that he has not had a chance of practice.
India coach Ravi Shastri made it clear that Rohit wouldn’t simply walk in to the side.
“We will have a chat with him to see where he is placed physically because he has been quarantined for a couple of weeks. We will have to see now how he feels before we take the call,” Shastri had told media after the second Test which India won.
Rohit last played a Test over a year back, against Bangladesh in Kolkata. That was also India’s first pink-ball Test.
Meanwhile, India on Tuesday defeated Australia by eight wickets in the Boxing-Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Cricket Ground to level the four-match series 1-1.
Set a target of 70 after Australia were dismissed for 200 in their second innings on Tuesday, the Indians got to the target for the loss of opener Mayank Agarwal (5) and No. 3 Cheteshwar Pujara (3).
Shubman Gill, who hit seven fours in a delightful innings, was unbeaten on 35 and skipper Ajinkya Rahane on 27.
Rahane, who scored a gritty hundred in the first innings to lead India’s comeback at the Down Under, said going in with five bowlers worked well.
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