Rohit Sharma could've been selected for Australia tour: Virender Sehwag baffled over Hitman's injury case

Plenty of questions were raised when the Indian selection committee didn’t name Rohit Sharma for the upcoming Australia tour citing injury concerns. However, despite BCCI president Sourav Ganguly stating that Rohit had a hamstring tear and could further aggravate the injury, the Indian opener has played last two matches for Mumbai Indians in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) after missing four previous matches. 

Even when asked a couple of times about his hamstring injury, Rohit has cleared that he is fully fit and the hamstring is absolutely fine. Opening up on the matter, former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag has said that Rohit Sharma could have been picked for the Australian tour and keeping the fitness concerns in mind, a replacement could have been sent along with the squad so that a player is available if the situation got worse Down Under. 

“If a statement has gone from MI physio that we are not sure how long would it take for Rohit Sharma to get fit, and the team has been created keeping this statement in mind, then even I have nothing to say. You get an idea if you are a top player,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.

The former Indian opener recalled an incident where he was involved before the ICC World Cup 2011 as he said everyone from the selectors, physios and coaches might be knowing the extent of Rohit’s hamstring problems. 

“Let me give an example from my career. Before the 2011 World Cup, I was having problems with my shoulder. When I got scanned, so there was a tear in my bicep tendon, and I needed to get a surgery done,” he stated.

“So, similarly, everyone might be knowing about Rohit Sharma’s problems – the selectors, the physio, coaches. Still, he could have been selected for the Australia tour. If he doesn’t get fit, then we will send in this player as a replacement or will send a replacement alongside him keeping the bio-secure bubble in mind,” Sehwag added.

Rohit Sharma will next feature in the IPL 2020 final with Mumbai Indians standing on the cusp of creating history as they remain one win away from their fifth IPL title. However, it remains to be seen what decision the Indian selection committee takes on Rohit’s inclusion in the Indian team for the Australia tour.