Will Rohit Sharma Miss the First Test? Gambhir Hints at Surprising Stand-In

India head coach Gautam Gambhir announced that Jasprit Bumrah will step in as captain for the first Border-Gavaskar Test against Australia in Perth if regular skipper Rohit Sharma is unavailable. Gambhir shared this update during a pre-tour press conference held in Mumbai on Monday (November 11), as the team prepares to depart for the series. Rohit’s participation in the opening Test, scheduled for November 22, remains uncertain. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had earlier named Bumrah as the vice-captain in the squad announcement, confirming his leadership role should Rohit miss out.

Gambhir noted, “Bumrah is vice-captain, so if Rohit doesn’t play, he’ll lead in Perth. While there’s no final word on Rohit’s availability, we’re optimistic and will provide an update before the series.”

Discussing possible lineup adjustments, Gambhir mentioned that KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Eswaran are both in the squad and ready to fill in if needed. He defended Rahul’s versatility, highlighting, “KL can bat at different positions — opener, No. 3, or No. 6 — and he keeps wickets in ODIs. Not many teams have players like KL.”

India’s Australia tour kicks off with the Perth Test on November 22, followed by a day-night Test in Adelaide (Dec 6-10), the Brisbane Test (Dec 14-18), the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne (Dec 26-30), and the final match in Sydney (Jan 3-7).