Rohit and Saini have been ruled out of the Dhaka Test due to injuries. : Rohit is said to be healing well and will be evaluated by a doctor next week.
The India captain, Rohit Sharma, has been ruled out of the upcoming Dhaka Test due to a thumb injury sustained during the ODI series in Bangladesh. Rohit is currently being treated in Mumbai. Navdeep Saini, the fast bowler, has also been ruled out* due to an abdominal muscle strain.
Rohit injured his thumb while fielding in the slips in the second ODI and was flown home immediately to be ready for at least the second Test. Scans taken after the incident revealed a dislocation that required a few stitches.
According to ESPNcricinfo, Rohit’s injury is healing well, but it is still considered risky given the volume of cricket India is scheduled to play over the next two months. He will most likely be evaluated by a doctor next week.
According to a statement issued by the BCCI on Tuesday, Saini will report to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru “for further management of his injury.”
With Saini out, India’s pace reserves in Bangladesh have suffered another blow, with the first-choice new-ball pair of Jasprit Bumrah (back) and Mohammed Shami (shoulder) already missing the tour. Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav are set to be India’s preferred quick-bowling options in Dhaka, but if they require a third seamer – or if another injury occurs – they have only two options in Shardul Thakur and Jaydev Unadkat.
India will play six One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and six Twenty-Twenty-Innings (T20Is) at home against Sri Lanka and New Zealand in January, with the squad to be announced in due course. The white-ball leg will be followed by a four-Test series against Australia, which will begin on February 9.
It is unclear whether the new selection panel will be in place before the squad for India’s home season is chosen. There had been no interviews as of Monday.
In the absence of Rohit, KL Rahul will continue to lead India, with Cheteshwar Pujara as his deputy. Shubman Gill, who hit his maiden Test century in India’s 188-run win in Chattogram, is expected to continue opening the batting with Rahul in Rohit’s absence. Abhimanyu Easwaran is the squad’s reserve opener.
The Indian team arrived in Dhaka on Monday morning after winning the opening session of the final day in Chattogram on Sunday. In preparation for the second Test at the Shere-Bangla Stadium, they will hold two training sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday.