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India captain Rohit Sharma has not recovered from COVID-19 yet and hence has been reportedly ruled out of the rescheduled fifth Test. Jasprit Bumrah has been asked to lead the side in Rohit’s absence. Notably, Sharma tested positive for COVID-19 during the 4-day warm-up match against Leicestershire. He was then sent into isolation and has been there since then.
According to the latest reports about Rohit’s availability for the fifth Test, the 35-year-old returned with a covid-positive report for the second time. The team management, therefore has asked Jasprit Bumrah to lead the team in the series decider as India’s vice-captain for the series KL Rahul was also ruled out even before the team left India.
With this Bumrah will become only the second fast bowler to lead India in a Test match. The spearhead is set to follow in Kapil Dev’s footsteps as a pacer will lead India for the first time since 1987. Earlier this year, Bumrah had been promoted as the vice-captain of the Indian team for the three-match ODI series in South Africa.
"Rohit is out of this Test match, starting July 1, as his RT-PCR test has come positive again. He is still in isolation. Jasprit Bumrah, who is one of the vice-captains in absence of KL Rahul, will lead the team," a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Who will open for India?
Although the management has sorted the captain for the rescheduled fifth Test, the opening pair for the important game is yet to be decided. With both the regular openers in Tests, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul not available, Shubman Gill is touted to take one of the spots (as the batter partnered with Rohit Sharma during the WTC Final against New Zealand). The BCCI has also added Mayank Agarwal as cover for Rohit Sharma.
There is a third out-of-the-box chance for Cheteshwar Pujara who has a fine record while opening the innings. Pujara might be asked to open the innings alongside Shubman Gill in the fifth Test against England considering his form in the County Championship. Also, as Hanuma Vihari has occupied the No.3 slot, Pujara can get a promotion.
India’s Test squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohd Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Mayank Agarwal