Rohit Sharma still need to work on endurance before taking filed in Australia: BCCI

India’s Rohit Sharma bats during the third Twenty20 cricket match between New Zealand and India at Seddon Park in Hamilton on January 29, 2020. (Photo by MICHAEL BRADLEY / AFP)


A day after it was known that Rohit Sharma had passed all the fitness Test and would travel to Australia to take part in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series, BCCI has said that he would still need to “work on his endurance.”

“Team India batsman Rohit Sharma has completed his rehabilitation process at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and is now clinically fit…the NCA medical Team was satisfied with the physical fitness of Sharma after assessing him on different metrics that tested his skills related to batting, fielding and running between the wickets. Sharma’s physical fitness has been satisfactory, however, he will be required to continue work on his endurance,” a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said.

The Board added that Rohit has been asked to follow a detailed programme to regain full fitness for the two-week quarantine period in Australia.

“He has been given a detailed programme to follow for the duration of the two weeks he will be quarantined for. He will be reassessed by the Team India medical team post his quarantine to establish his fitness status and a call on his participation in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be taken accordingly,” added the statement.

A report carried by ESPNcricinfo on Thursday revealed that the 32-tear-old will take a charter flight from Mumbai to Dubai. He will reach Sydney on December 13 and will be available for selection in the last two Tests of the four-match series.

Upon reaching Sydney, Sharma has to undergo a mandatory quarantine in a facility separate from the bio-secure bubble in which the Indian Test squad is currently in, the report further stated.

The Virat Kohli-led India will begin their title defence of the Border-Gavaskar trophy with the pink-ball Test in Adelaide from December 17.

The first Test at Adelaide will be India’s first day-nigt Test outside home soil. It will also be skipper Virat Kohli’s only appearance in all-whites in Australia this time as he would return to India on a paternity leave after the opener.