Rohit Sharma in doubt for first BGT Test in Perth: Reports

India Test skipper Rohit Sharma is doubtful for the first Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test in Perth due to personal reasons, as per a report published by ESPNCricinfo. 

In his absence, Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah have emerged as potential choices to stand in for Rohit as skipper in the Perth Test. It is being speculated that one of the two can be appointed as the next vice-captain, as India played without a designated vice-captain in the Test series against Bangladesh. 

The selectors wish to groom someone for the future, so they are not currently considering the other senior options available in the team. 

Among the two, Bumrah has captained India in a Test match in the past. He did so in the one-off Test in England in 2022, when Rohit had to miss the game because of a COVID-19 infection. That was the first time after Kapil Dev that a fast bowler captained India in a Test match. 

Bumrah, who’s 31, has also been India’s vice-captain in the recent five-Test series against England, the two-Test tour to South Africa in 2023-2024, and the home Test series against Sri Lanka in 2022. 

Meanwhile, Gill, 25, has no experience leading the Test side; however, he did a fantastic job recently when he led a young Indian side against Zimbabwe in the five-match T20I series, along with leading the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

The selectors view him as a long-term prospect and will certainly be among the probable candidates to take up the job in the future. 

The five-match Test series between Australia and India begins November 22 in Perth and ends with the fifth Test on December 3 in Sydney.