India Tour of Australia: Virat Kohli to return after first test, Rohit Sharma included in Test squad

India Tour of Australia: Virat Kohli to return after first test, Rohit Sharma included in Test squad
Virat Kohli in the Nottingham Test 2018
Virat Kohli

Indian skipper Virat Kohli has been granted ‘paternity leave’ by the BCCI to return home after the first Test in India’s tour of Australia scheduled to start in Adelaide on December 17. Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, has been added to the Test squad while being rested from the limited-overs teams. Varun Chakravarthy, the spinner who received a maiden national call-up for India’s T20I series in Australia, has been ruled out because of a shoulder injury. Fast bowler T Natarajan has replaced him in the squad.

The schedule for the tour was announced on the 26th of October. The first two ODIs on November 27 and 29 are set to be played at the SCG, the third ODI on December 1 and the first T20I on December 4 will take place at Canberra’s Manuka Oval, before the teams return to Sydney for the final two T20Is at the SCG on December 6 and 8.

A pink-ball Test is scheduled to be held at Adelaide Oval between December 17-21, with Adelaide also the backup option for the Boxing Day Test if the COVID-19 situation makes it difficult to conduct the game at the MCG. Otherwise Melbourne will be the venue for Boxing Day (December 26-30) followed by Tests in Sydney (January 7-11) and finally, Brisbane (January 15-19).

Other changes in squads

There have been some other changes in India’s squads for the tour as well. Sanju Samson who was initially missing from the ODI squad has been added as an additional wicket-keeper. Ishant Sharma who is undergoing rehab in Bengaluru has been announced to be added to India’s Test squad if he regains fitness.

Varun Chakravarthy has been ruled out of the T20I squad owing to a shoulder injury. He will be replaced by T Natarajan who was earlier chosen to travel as a net bowler. The BCCI also announced that it will take a call on Wriddhiman Saha’s fitness on a later date. Kamlesh Nagarkoti who was supposed to travel as a net bowlers missed out owing to his bowling owrkload management.

Also Read: India will travel to Australia after IPL and will follow protocols