Team India suffered another blow after Navdeep Saini was forced out of the field during the fourth Test against Australia after sustaining a groin injury during his eighth over for India.&nbsp;

Indian vice-captain stepped in and finished the pending delivery of the over. Sharma bowled a gentle medium pace ball that Marnus Labuschagne cut for a single.&nbsp;

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Navdeep Saini is off the field due to injury. 
 
But, look who's bowling! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndvsAus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndvsAus</a> <a href="https://t.co/KY53aSxCdZ">pic.twitter.com/KY53aSxCdZ</a>
— CricketNext (@cricketnext) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketnext/status/1349921597084237828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Rohit Sharma's bowling left many of his fans amused, including wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik.&nbsp;

Karthik took to Twitter and wrote that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have to watch out as India have now found a 'new fast bowler'.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/Jaspritbumrah93?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jaspritbumrah93</a> and and <a href="https://twitter.com/MdShami11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MdShami11</a> better watch out , new fast bowler in the wings <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/absolutelyrapid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#absolutelyrapid</a> <a href="https://t.co/4HoF8zcl9A">pic.twitter.com/4HoF8zcl9A</a>
— DK (@DineshKarthik) <a href="https://twitter.com/DineshKarthik/status/1349921293399805954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Australia on Friday ended Day 1 of the fourth and final Test against India at the Gabba in Brisbane on 274/5 after a fine century from Marnus Labuschagne. Despite fielding an inexperienced bowling attack, Indian bowlers fared well with debutant Thangarasu Natarajan being the pick of the bowlers with two scalps to his name.&nbsp;

India would be looking to use the new ball to their advantage when they take the field for Day 2 of the Brisbane Test.&nbsp;

Brief Scores: Australia 274/5 (Marnus Labuschagne 108, Matthew Wade 45; T Natarajan 2-63)&nbsp;

Team India suffered another blow after Navdeep Saini was forced out of the field during the fourth Test against Australia after sustaining a groin injury during his eighth over for India.

Team India suffered another blow after Navdeep Saini was forced out of the field during the fourth Test against Australia after sustaining a groin injury during his eighth over for India. Indian vice-captain stepped in and finished the pending delivery of the over. Sharma bowled a gentle medium pace ball that Marnus Labuschagne cut for a single. Navdeep Saini is off the field due to injury. But, look who's bowling! #IndvsAus pic.twitter.com/KY53aSxCdZ — CricketNext (@cricketnext) January 15, 2021 × Rohit Sharma's bowling left many of his fans amused, including wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik. Karthik took to Twitter and wrote that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have to watch out as India have now found a 'new fast bowler'. @Jaspritbumrah93 and and @MdShami11 better watch out , new fast bowler in the wings @ImRo45 #absolutelyrapid pic.twitter.com/4HoF8zcl9A — DK (@DineshKarthik) January 15, 2021 × Australia on Friday ended Day 1 of the fourth and final Test against India at the Gabba in Brisbane on 274/5 after a fine century from Marnus Labuschagne. Despite fielding an inexperienced bowling attack, Indian bowlers fared well with debutant Thangarasu Natarajan being the pick of the bowlers with two scalps to his name. India would be looking to use the new ball to their advantage when they take the field for Day 2 of the Brisbane Test. Brief Scores: Australia 274/5 (Marnus Labuschagne 108, Matthew Wade 45; T Natarajan 2-63)

'Better watch out': Dinesh Karthik mocks Rohit Sharma's bowling in the Gabba Test

Shubman Gill enjoyed a good outing on the second day of the third Test against Australia. The 21-year-old slammed his maiden 50 in the match and gave India a great start against the Australian.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-becomes-first-player-to-smash-100-international-sixes-against-australia-355335" hreflang="en">Rohit Sharma becomes first player to smash 100 international sixes against Australia</a>

However, during the match, Australia's Marnus Labuschagne was involved with banter with India's young gun.&nbsp;

“Who’s your favourite player?” Asked Labuschagne between deliveries of Starc’s second over.

“I will tell you after the match,” replied Gill.

Labuschagne was not satisfied with the answer and he went on to ask whether it was Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli.

“After the ball... Sachin? Do you reckon Virat?” he said.

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/marnus3cricket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@marnus3cricket</a> was enjoying being back under the helmet for the Aussies! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/GaCWPkTthl">pic.twitter.com/GaCWPkTthl</a>
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1347410827284922369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Labuschagne did not stop there. His words continued when Rohit Sharma was on strike. “hey what did you do in quarantine?” he asked the India opener, who made a comeback to Indian XI in this Test match after spending 14 days in quarantine.

The Day 2 of the ongoing third Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground witnessed some breathtaking display of cricket from both sides. While Australia, batting first, got to a great position after a fine century from talisman Steve Smith, Indians bounced back strong with a solid opening partnership between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as they day ended in balance. &nbsp;

Indian openers Rohit and Gill had a fine start as they stitched a crucial partnership of 70 runs off 27 overs before Rohit pushed a fuller delivery by Hazlewood too hard as the Aussie bowler took a sharp catch off his own bowling. Gill departed soon after completing his maiden half-century in international cricket. &nbsp;

At the end of Day 2, veteran batsmen Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara were at the crease for India and would be looking to score big in what has been a batting-friendly track at the Sydney Cricket Ground. &nbsp;

Shubman Gill enjoyed a good outing on the second day of the third Test against Australia. The 21-year-old slammed his maiden 50 in the match and gave India a great start against the Australian.

Shubman Gill enjoyed a good outing on the second day of the third Test against Australia. The 21-year-old slammed his maiden 50 in the match and gave India a great start against the Australian. ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma becomes first player to smash 100 international sixes against Australia However, during the match, Australia's Marnus Labuschagne was involved with banter with India's young gun. “Who’s your favourite player?” Asked Labuschagne between deliveries of Starc’s second over. “I will tell you after the match,” replied Gill. Labuschagne was not satisfied with the answer and he went on to ask whether it was Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli. “After the ball... Sachin? Do you reckon Virat?” he said. .@marnus3cricket was enjoying being back under the helmet for the Aussies! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/GaCWPkTthl — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 8, 2021 × Labuschagne did not stop there. His words continued when Rohit Sharma was on strike. “hey what did you do in quarantine?” he asked the India opener, who made a comeback to Indian XI in this Test match after spending 14 days in quarantine. The Day 2 of the ongoing third Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground witnessed some breathtaking display of cricket from both sides. While Australia, batting first, got to a great position after a fine century from talisman Steve Smith, Indians bounced back strong with a solid opening partnership between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as they day ended in balance. Indian openers Rohit and Gill had a fine start as they stitched a crucial partnership of 70 runs off 27 overs before Rohit pushed a fuller delivery by Hazlewood too hard as the Aussie bowler took a sharp catch off his own bowling. Gill departed soon after completing his maiden half-century in international cricket. At the end of Day 2, veteran batsmen Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara were at the crease for India and would be looking to score big in what has been a batting-friendly track at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

'Who’s your favourite player?': Marnus Labuschagne involved in a banter with Shubman Gill

The Indian cricket team was off to a fine start in the first innings of the third Test match against Australia in Sydney with openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill providing a solid start to the visitors. The duo stitched a 70-run opening stand before Rohit was dismissed for 26 by Josh Hazlewood. However, before his dismissal, Rohit achieved a rare feat in international cricket as he became the first-ever batsman to score 100 international sixes against Australia. &nbsp;

Rohit, who is regarded as one of the finest batsmen, danced down the track to dispatch a Nathan Lyon delivery over the long-on boundary and became the first batsman in history to smash 100 international sixes against Australia. &nbsp;

<h2>Most sixes against Australia in international cricket &nbsp;</h2>

ROHIT SHARMA - 100* &nbsp;

Eon Morgan - 63 &nbsp;

B McCullum - 61 &nbsp;

Sachin Tendulkar - 60&nbsp;

MS Dhoni - 60&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/smith-smacks-27th-test-century-as-india-trail-australia-by-312-355313" hreflang="en">Smith smacks 27th Test century as India trail Australia by 312</a>

However, Rohit, despite getting a good start, couldn’t make it count and was dismissed by Hazlewood after playing a lose straight push. The Aussie pacer held on to a good catch in his follow-through to complete the dismissal. &nbsp;

Rohit’s opening partner Gill soon followed the Hitman soon after completing his maiden half-century in Test cricket.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, India ended Day 2 at 98/2 with Cheteshwar Pujara and skipper Ajinkya Rahane unbeaten for India. The visitors still trail by 242 runs and would be hoping to score big when they take the field on Day 3 of the Sydney Test. &nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-hamilton-to-ronaldo-athletes-who-tested-positive-for-covid-19-in-2020-352776" hreflang="en">From Hamilton to Ronaldo: Athletes who tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020</a>

Batting first, Australia posted 338 runs courtesy a fine century by Steve Smith – his 27th in Test cricket as the Aussie star starts the new year with a bang.&nbsp;

The Indian cricket team was off to a fine start in the first innings of the third Test match against Australia in Sydney with openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill providing a solid start to the visitors.

The Indian cricket team was off to a fine start in the first innings of the third Test match against Australia in Sydney with openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill providing a solid start to the visitors. The duo stitched a 70-run opening stand before Rohit was dismissed for 26 by Josh Hazlewood. However, before his dismissal, Rohit achieved a rare feat in international cricket as he became the first-ever batsman to score 100 international sixes against Australia. Rohit, who is regarded as one of the finest batsmen, danced down the track to dispatch a Nathan Lyon delivery over the long-on boundary and became the first batsman in history to smash 100 international sixes against Australia. Most sixes against Australia in international cricket ROHIT SHARMA - 100* Eon Morgan - 63 B McCullum - 61 Sachin Tendulkar - 60 MS Dhoni - 60 ALSO READ: Smith smacks 27th Test century as India trail Australia by 312 However, Rohit, despite getting a good start, couldn’t make it count and was dismissed by Hazlewood after playing a lose straight push. The Aussie pacer held on to a good catch in his follow-through to complete the dismissal. Rohit’s opening partner Gill soon followed the Hitman soon after completing his maiden half-century in Test cricket. Meanwhile, India ended Day 2 at 98/2 with Cheteshwar Pujara and skipper Ajinkya Rahane unbeaten for India. The visitors still trail by 242 runs and would be hoping to score big when they take the field on Day 3 of the Sydney Test. ALSO READ: From Hamilton to Ronaldo: Athletes who tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020 Batting first, Australia posted 338 runs courtesy a fine century by Steve Smith – his 27th in Test cricket as the Aussie star starts the new year with a bang.

Rohit Sharma becomes first player to smash 100 international sixes against Australia

The five Indian players -- Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw and Navdeep Saini -- who are at the centre of an alleged breach of Cricket Australia`s bio-security protocols, are expected to play in the third Test beginning Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) despite an ongoing investigation by the BCCI. 
 
The five players, who were put in isolation after both the Australian and Indian cricket boards launched an investigation into a video showing them sitting indoors in a restaurant in Melbourne on Friday, have been asked to train separately from the rest of the squad and it could be possible that they will travel on Monday separately from the squad. 
 
According to a Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) report, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is expected to take a "pragmatic approach" should it find the quintet had breached the bio-security protocols. Cricket Australia cannot sanction the said players even if their rules are found to have been broken as the quintet are not their employees, the SMH report further stated. 
 
The Indian side on Sunday boarded two buses to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for a gym session after their practice session was cancelled due to rain. 
 
Gill boarded a team bus to return to the hotel with several other members of the touring party after training but a spokesman for the Indian side said social distancing requirements were met, the report claimed. 
 
According to the publication, Friday`s incident was not the first time that Indian players seemingly breached the bio-secure protocols. 
 
India captain Virat Kohli and limited-overs all-rounder Hardik Pandya were also pictured at a shop in Sydney in early December during the white-ball leg of the tour. 
 
There have been reports emerging about Team India`s reluctance to play the fourth and final Test of the ongoing series in Brisbane due to harsher bio-security protocols in Queensland. 
 
However, members of the Queensland government have stated that the Indian team should not enter the state if they are unwilling to coordinate with the protocols that have been laid out. 
 
The ongoing four-match series is currently tied at 1-1 with Australia winning the first Test in Adelaide while India registering a win in the second in Melbourne.

The five Indian players -- Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw and Navdeep Saini -- who are at the centre of an alleged breach of Cricket Australia`s bio-security protocols, are expected to play in the third Test beginning Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) despite an ongoing investigation by the BCCI.

The five Indian players -- Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw and Navdeep Saini -- who are at the centre of an alleged breach of Cricket Australia`s bio-security protocols, are expected to play in the third Test beginning Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) despite an ongoing investigation by the BCCI. The five players, who were put in isolation after both the Australian and Indian cricket boards launched an investigation into a video showing them sitting indoors in a restaurant in Melbourne on Friday, have been asked to train separately from the rest of the squad and it could be possible that they will travel on Monday separately from the squad. According to a Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) report, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is expected to take a "pragmatic approach" should it find the quintet had breached the bio-security protocols. Cricket Australia cannot sanction the said players even if their rules are found to have been broken as the quintet are not their employees, the SMH report further stated. The Indian side on Sunday boarded two buses to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for a gym session after their practice session was cancelled due to rain. Gill boarded a team bus to return to the hotel with several other members of the touring party after training but a spokesman for the Indian side said social distancing requirements were met, the report claimed. According to the publication, Friday`s incident was not the first time that Indian players seemingly breached the bio-secure protocols. India captain Virat Kohli and limited-overs all-rounder Hardik Pandya were also pictured at a shop in Sydney in early December during the white-ball leg of the tour. There have been reports emerging about Team India`s reluctance to play the fourth and final Test of the ongoing series in Brisbane due to harsher bio-security protocols in Queensland. However, members of the Queensland government have stated that the Indian team should not enter the state if they are unwilling to coordinate with the protocols that have been laid out. The ongoing four-match series is currently tied at 1-1 with Australia winning the first Test in Adelaide while India registering a win in the second in Melbourne.

Sharma, Gill, Pant expected to play 3rd Test despite bubble inquiry: report

Five players in Team India have been placed under isolation as Cricket Australia (CA) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are investigating allegations of breach of biosecurity protocols after a video surfaced showing the players eating at a Melbourne restaurant.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-president-sourav-ganguly-suffers-cardiac-arrest-admitted-in-woodlands-hospital-354021" hreflang="en">BCCI president Sourav Ganguly suffers cardiac arrest; undergoing primary angioplasty</a>

Recently a video made rounds on social media where Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Navdeep Saini and Prithvi Shaw can be seen dining together. These allegations come amidst the Border-Gavaskar Trophy where India is scheduled to take on Australia for the third Test of the series.&nbsp;

According to the strict biosecurity protocols set by Cricket Australia, players are allowed to sit outside but not allowed to dine inside restaurants.

"On the advice of the Australian and Indian medical teams, the aforementioned players have been placed in isolation as a precaution. This will include separating the group of players from the broader Indian and Australian squads when travelling and at the training venue," stated a release from Cricket Australia.

"The BCCI and CA are investigating the matter and seeking to determine whether the outing constitutes a breach of biosecurity protocols," Cricket Australia said in a statement.

The third Test is scheduled to take place on January 7 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.&nbsp;

Five players in Team India have been placed under isolation as Cricket Australia (CA) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are investigating allegations of breach of biosecurity protocols after a video surfaced showing the players eating at a Melbourne restaurant.

Five players in Team India have been placed under isolation as Cricket Australia (CA) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are investigating allegations of breach of biosecurity protocols after a video surfaced showing the players eating at a Melbourne restaurant. Also read: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly suffers cardiac arrest; undergoing primary angioplasty Recently a video made rounds on social media where Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Navdeep Saini and Prithvi Shaw can be seen dining together. These allegations come amidst the Border-Gavaskar Trophy where India is scheduled to take on Australia for the third Test of the series. According to the strict biosecurity protocols set by Cricket Australia, players are allowed to sit outside but not allowed to dine inside restaurants. "On the advice of the Australian and Indian medical teams, the aforementioned players have been placed in isolation as a precaution. This will include separating the group of players from the broader Indian and Australian squads when travelling and at the training venue," stated a release from Cricket Australia. "The BCCI and CA are investigating the matter and seeking to determine whether the outing constitutes a breach of biosecurity protocols," Cricket Australia said in a statement. The third Test is scheduled to take place on January 7 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Five players in Team India placed under in precautionary isolation over alleged breach in protocols

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday announced the Indian squad for the last two Tests against Australia, scheduled to be played in Melbourne and Brisbane respectively. While Ajinkya Rahane continues to lead the side in the absence of Virat Kohli whereas Rohit Sharma has been named as the vice-captain of the Test squad, replacing Cheteshwar Pujara who deputised Rahane in the Boxing Day Test.<o:p></o:p>

Thangarasu Natarajan and Shardul Thakur have also been added to the Indian Test squad with the duo competing for the third pacer’s spot in the Indian playing XI along with Navdeep Saini. <o:p></o:p>

Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Pujara, Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Siraj continue to be in the squad for the last two Tests against Australia.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yearender-2020-how-sportspersons-set-social-media-on-fire-in-coronavirus-hit-year-353667" hreflang="en">Yearender 2020: How sportspersons set social media on fire in coronavirus-hit year</a>

Rohit Sharma’s promotion for the vice-captain of the Indian team suggests that the Hitman in all likelihood will start for the visitors in the third Test, scheduled to start on January 7 in Sydney. <o:p></o:p>

India and Australia are firmly locked 1-1 in the four-match Test series. While Australia won the first Test in Adelaide by eight wickets, India bounced back in Melbourne to win the Boxing Day Test by eight wickets to level the series.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/icc-announces-decade-awards-from-kohli-smith-to-perry-heres-complete-list-of-winners-352996" hreflang="en">ICC announces Decade Awards: From Kohli, Smith to Perry - Here's complete list of winners</a>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">BCCI statement on Indian Test squad for last two Tests vs Australia: <o:p></o:p></h2>

"Umesh Yadav sustained a strain in his left calf muscle on Day 3 of the second Border-Gavaskar Test in Melbourne. He underwent scans later in the day. The fast bowler will not recover completely ahead of the remaining two Test matches and has been ruled out of the series.<o:p></o:p>

"The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named T Natarajan as Yadav’s replacement. Ahead of the Boxing Day Test, Shardul Thakur was added to the Test squad as Mohd. Shami's replacement after the senior fast bowler suffered a hairline fracture in his right forearm. Both Shami and Umesh Yadav will head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further rehabilitation of their injuries."

Team India Test squad: Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, T Natarajan<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday announced the Indian squad for the last two Tests against Australia, scheduled to be played in Melbourne and Brisbane respectively.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday announced the Indian squad for the last two Tests against Australia, scheduled to be played in Melbourne and Brisbane respectively. While Ajinkya Rahane continues to lead the side in the absence of Virat Kohli whereas Rohit Sharma has been named as the vice-captain of the Test squad, replacing Cheteshwar Pujara who deputised Rahane in the Boxing Day Test. Thangarasu Natarajan and Shardul Thakur have also been added to the Indian Test squad with the duo competing for the third pacer’s spot in the Indian playing XI along with Navdeep Saini. Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Pujara, Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Siraj continue to be in the squad for the last two Tests against Australia. ALSO READ: Yearender 2020: How sportspersons set social media on fire in coronavirus-hit year Rohit Sharma’s promotion for the vice-captain of the Indian team suggests that the Hitman in all likelihood will start for the visitors in the third Test, scheduled to start on January 7 in Sydney. India and Australia are firmly locked 1-1 in the four-match Test series. While Australia won the first Test in Adelaide by eight wickets, India bounced back in Melbourne to win the Boxing Day Test by eight wickets to level the series. ALSO READ: ICC announces Decade Awards: From Kohli, Smith to Perry - Here's complete list of winners BCCI statement on Indian Test squad for last two Tests vs Australia: "Umesh Yadav sustained a strain in his left calf muscle on Day 3 of the second Border-Gavaskar Test in Melbourne. He underwent scans later in the day. The fast bowler will not recover completely ahead of the remaining two Test matches and has been ruled out of the series. "The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named T Natarajan as Yadav’s replacement. Ahead of the Boxing Day Test, Shardul Thakur was added to the Test squad as Mohd. Shami's replacement after the senior fast bowler suffered a hairline fracture in his right forearm. Both Shami and Umesh Yadav will head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further rehabilitation of their injuries." Team India Test squad: Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, T Natarajan

India announce squad for last two Test vs Australia, Rohit Sharma appointed vice-captain

India equalised the Border-Gavaskar series after beating hosts Australia by 8 wickets. With the Warner returning for the third Test, India will be working on their weak points too.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shhhh-fans-urged-to-cheer-quietly-at-scg-amid-covid-outbreak-353325" hreflang="en">Shhhh! Fans urged to cheer quietly at SCG amid COVID outbreak</a>

India is failing to find a stable opening pair this year. Agarwal has failed to perform in the top order for India. He scored 7, 3, 17, 9, 0, 5 in his last 6 Test innings for Team India. The Karnataka batsman could be replaced by much experienced Rohit Sharma, who had prolific Test innings in the land down under. With Rohit returning to the squad after the 14-day quarantine period, he could be the part of the playing XI. However, Rohit is yet to get into nets and train as it has been a long time since the batsman has entered the ground.&nbsp;

The Hitman also has stats backing his case, having produced scores of &nbsp;176, 127, 14, 212, 6, 21 in his last 6 Test innings. Rohit hasn't played cricket since November 10 which is when his Mumbai Indians had defeated Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2020 final.

Sharma has nine days to adapt to Aussie conditions before playing the third Test that will be played on the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 07.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t-natarajan-could-make-test-debut-in-third-test-vs-australia-as-umesh-yadav-suffers-calf-injury-353331" hreflang="en">T Natarajan could make Test debut in third Test vs Australia as Umesh Yadav suffers calf injury</a>

Recently, Australia on Wednesday announced a strong 18-member squad for the third and fourth Tests against India as David Warner returned in the team for the hosts. The four-match Test series is firmly locked at 1-1 after India made a resounding comeback in the Boxing Day Test to equalise the series.&nbsp;

Warner and Will Pucovsi have been added in Australia’s Test squad with out-of-form opener Joe Burns dropped from the squad. Pacer Sean Abbott has also been declared fit for the remainder of the series and is one of the names in the 18-member squad.

Warner continues to recover from the groin injury and will replace Burns in the playing XI. Whereas Pucovski is in line to make his Test debut after suffering a concussion while playing for Australia A against India earlier this month.&nbsp;

The 22-year-old will still be required to pass further tests before he is cleared to make a possible debut in Sydney.

India equalised the Border-Gavaskar series after beating hosts Australia by 8 wickets. With the Warner returning for the third Test, India will be working on their weak points too.

India equalised the Border-Gavaskar series after beating hosts Australia by 8 wickets. With the Warner returning for the third Test, India will be working on their weak points too. ALSO READ: Shhhh! Fans urged to cheer quietly at SCG amid COVID outbreak India is failing to find a stable opening pair this year. Agarwal has failed to perform in the top order for India. He scored 7, 3, 17, 9, 0, 5 in his last 6 Test innings for Team India. The Karnataka batsman could be replaced by much experienced Rohit Sharma, who had prolific Test innings in the land down under. With Rohit returning to the squad after the 14-day quarantine period, he could be the part of the playing XI. However, Rohit is yet to get into nets and train as it has been a long time since the batsman has entered the ground. The Hitman also has stats backing his case, having produced scores of 176, 127, 14, 212, 6, 21 in his last 6 Test innings. Rohit hasn't played cricket since November 10 which is when his Mumbai Indians had defeated Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2020 final. Sharma has nine days to adapt to Aussie conditions before playing the third Test that will be played on the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 07. ALSO READ: T Natarajan could make Test debut in third Test vs Australia as Umesh Yadav suffers calf injury Recently, Australia on Wednesday announced a strong 18-member squad for the third and fourth Tests against India as David Warner returned in the team for the hosts. The four-match Test series is firmly locked at 1-1 after India made a resounding comeback in the Boxing Day Test to equalise the series. Warner and Will Pucovsi have been added in Australia’s Test squad with out-of-form opener Joe Burns dropped from the squad. Pacer Sean Abbott has also been declared fit for the remainder of the series and is one of the names in the 18-member squad. Warner continues to recover from the groin injury and will replace Burns in the playing XI. Whereas Pucovski is in line to make his Test debut after suffering a concussion while playing for Australia A against India earlier this month. The 22-year-old will still be required to pass further tests before he is cleared to make a possible debut in Sydney.

As Warner returns for Australia, will the 'Hitman' formula bolster Team India?

<o:p></o:p>

<span style="font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;
padding:0cm;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN">Virat Kohli leads the ranks with Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja close in pursuit, according to the Power Rankings 2020 Sports Report by&nbsp;Wizikey which has highlighted&nbsp;the top 100 Sports newsmakers in India in the year 2020.&nbsp;

<span style="font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;
padding:0cm;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN">In 2020,&nbsp;the female cricket team has also seen a lot of buzz after&nbsp;<span style="font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;
padding:0cm;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN">winning the Women’s T20 World Cup. Players from the Indian Women’s Cricket team, Hamanpreet Kaur and Mithali Raj have managed to stay in the limelight, owing to their splendid performance in their respective matches.

<span style="font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;
padding:0cm;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN"><img alt="Power Rankings 2020" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5cc68172-dc19-423a-82f6-19516635b550" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1_11.JPG" /><o:p></o:p>

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ajinkya-rahane-joins-ms-dhoni-in-a-rare-list-as-india-win-boxing-day-test-vs-australia-353117" hreflang="en">Ajinkya Rahane joins MS Dhoni in a rare list as India win Boxing Day Test vs Australia</a>

<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;
padding:0cm;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN">Commenting on the same&nbsp;Anshul Sushil, CEO &amp; Co-Founder, Wizikey, said, “ India has always been a cricket-loving nation. The pandemic did lock down sports enthusiasts to the vicinity of their drawing rooms but failed to hamper their spirits. The Power Rankings 2020 Sports Report is a validation of that infectious energy and zeal that we as a country have felt together.”<o:p></o:p>

<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;
padding:0cm;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN">“To create the Newsmakers list in each sector, we at Wizikey, leverage Big Data Technologies such as Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning to analyse millions of news data points. That is how we arrive at a rank of 100 newsmakers in each category,” he added.

<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;
padding:0cm;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN"><img alt="Power Rankings 2020" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5008f6d-a65f-4c4f-a8ee-d8e52dfe6b89" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/2_2.JPG" /><o:p></o:p>

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-hamilton-to-ronaldo-athletes-who-tested-positive-for-covid-19-in-2020-352776" hreflang="en">From Hamilton to Ronaldo: Athletes who tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020</a>

<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; background: white;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;
padding:0cm;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN">More interesting finds from the report-<o:p></o:p></h2>

<ul type="disc">
	<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:
 auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt;
 background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;
 mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;
 mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;padding:0cm;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN">17 out of the top 20 sports personalities in the Power Rankings 2020 Sports Report are athletes from the Indian Cricket Team<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:
 auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt;
 background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;
 mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;
 mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;padding:0cm;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN">Virat Kolhi received the highest visibility in the rank because of his spectacular performance in the IPL, his stature as a fashion icon and his expected parenthood<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:
 auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt;
 background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;
 mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;
 mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;padding:0cm;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN">MC Mary Kom and PV&nbsp;Sindhu were shining in the top 20 since they were recipients of Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan awards respectively among the eight sportspeople named for these prestigious awards<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:
 auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt;
 background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;
 mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;
 mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;padding:0cm;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN">Indian Women's Hockey captain Rani Rampal was awarded the ‘World Games Athlete of the year’ and also the Padma Shri award, therefore her news presence pushed up to Rank 37<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:
 12.0pt;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt;
 background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;
 mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;
 mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;padding:0cm;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN">Other than in cricket and football in all other sports, women players have gained higher visibility when compared to their male counterparts<o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

Virat Kohli leads the ranks with Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja close in pursuit, according to the Power Rankings 2020 Sports Report by Wizikey which has highlighted the top 100 Sports newsmakers in India in the year 2020.

Virat Kohli leads the ranks with Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja close in pursuit, according to the Power Rankings 2020 Sports Report by Wizikey which has highlighted the top 100 Sports newsmakers in India in the year 2020. In 2020, the female cricket team has also seen a lot of buzz after winning the Women’s T20 World Cup. Players from the Indian Women’s Cricket team, Hamanpreet Kaur and Mithali Raj have managed to stay in the limelight, owing to their splendid performance in their respective matches. ALSO READ: Ajinkya Rahane joins MS Dhoni in a rare list as India win Boxing Day Test vs Australia Commenting on the same Anshul Sushil, CEO & Co-Founder, Wizikey, said, “ India has always been a cricket-loving nation. The pandemic did lock down sports enthusiasts to the vicinity of their drawing rooms but failed to hamper their spirits. The Power Rankings 2020 Sports Report is a validation of that infectious energy and zeal that we as a country have felt together.” “To create the Newsmakers list in each sector, we at Wizikey, leverage Big Data Technologies such as Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning to analyse millions of news data points. That is how we arrive at a rank of 100 newsmakers in each category,” he added. ALSO READ: From Hamilton to Ronaldo: Athletes who tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020 More interesting finds from the report- 17 out of the top 20 sports personalities in the Power Rankings 2020 Sports Report are athletes from the Indian Cricket Team Virat Kolhi received the highest visibility in the rank because of his spectacular performance in the IPL, his stature as a fashion icon and his expected parenthood MC Mary Kom and PV Sindhu were shining in the top 20 since they were recipients of Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan awards respectively among the eight sportspeople named for these prestigious awards Indian Women's Hockey captain Rani Rampal was awarded the ‘World Games Athlete of the year’ and also the Padma Shri award, therefore her news presence pushed up to Rank 37 Other than in cricket and football in all other sports, women players have gained higher visibility when compared to their male counterparts

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul top the charts: Power Rankings 2020 Sports Report

The latest outbreak of COVID-19 cases in Sydney has left everyone concerned over the fate of the third Test between India and Australia at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground, scheduled to start from January 7. While there are reports that the Melbourne Cricket Ground might host the second and third Test after the latest cluster in Sydney, there are concerns surrounding the safety of Indian opener Rohit Sharma, who is undergoing quarantine in Sydney.

However, a BCCI official has confirmed that Rohit will continue to undergo quarantine in Sydney and the Indian cricket board and the team management is&nbsp;in constant touch with the ‘Hitman’.&nbsp;

"He doesn't need to move from Sydney. He is safe and is in a bio-secure environment undergoing quarantine. While he is alone in his room, the Indian board as well as the team management is constantly in touch with him. If there was any emergency or if we felt that he needed to get out of Sydney, we would. But for now, he is completely safe there," the BCCI official told ANI.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/suresh-raina-releases-statement-after-getting-booked-in-mumbai-351599" hreflang="en">Suresh Raina releases statement after getting booked in Mumbai</a>

When asked about the endurance programme which the physio handed over to Rohit when he left for Australia following the completion of his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy, the official said:

"He is being monitored by the physios and he is doing his regular endurance work in his room. It is all about keeping fit and ready for action when it comes to hitting the ground running."

Cricket Australia on Sunday stated the Sydney Test is still on track despite the fresh coronavirus cluster in Sydney. However, there are reports that the third Test may be hosted by Melbourne along with the Boxing Day Test.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/players-will-go-out-new-faces-will-come-in-but-what-about-mr-ravi-shastri-351379" hreflang="en">Players will go out, new faces will come in. But what about Mr Ravi Shastri?</a>

"The third Test is more than two-and-a-half weeks away, which provides us with time to assess the evolving public health situation on the northern beaches of Sydney. We have made no changes to our schedule and our preference remains to play the match at the Sydney Cricket Ground," Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia's Interim CEO said in an official statement.

"Cricket Australia has developed a solid track record of delivery throughout this most challenging of summers and will continue to make appropriate and proportionate decisions in consultation with our biosecurity team, governments, State &amp; Territory Associations, the Australian Cricketers' Association, our partners and venues," he added.

The latest outbreak of COVID-19 cases in Sydney has left everyone concerned over the fate of the third Test between India and Australia at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground, scheduled to start from January 7.

The latest outbreak of COVID-19 cases in Sydney has left everyone concerned over the fate of the third Test between India and Australia at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground, scheduled to start from January 7. While there are reports that the Melbourne Cricket Ground might host the second and third Test after the latest cluster in Sydney, there are concerns surrounding the safety of Indian opener Rohit Sharma, who is undergoing quarantine in Sydney. However, a BCCI official has confirmed that Rohit will continue to undergo quarantine in Sydney and the Indian cricket board and the team management is in constant touch with the ‘Hitman’. "He doesn't need to move from Sydney. He is safe and is in a bio-secure environment undergoing quarantine. While he is alone in his room, the Indian board as well as the team management is constantly in touch with him. If there was any emergency or if we felt that he needed to get out of Sydney, we would. But for now, he is completely safe there," the BCCI official told ANI. ALSO READ: Suresh Raina releases statement after getting booked in Mumbai When asked about the endurance programme which the physio handed over to Rohit when he left for Australia following the completion of his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy, the official said: "He is being monitored by the physios and he is doing his regular endurance work in his room. It is all about keeping fit and ready for action when it comes to hitting the ground running." Cricket Australia on Sunday stated the Sydney Test is still on track despite the fresh coronavirus cluster in Sydney. However, there are reports that the third Test may be hosted by Melbourne along with the Boxing Day Test. ALSO READ: Players will go out, new faces will come in. But what about Mr Ravi Shastri? "The third Test is more than two-and-a-half weeks away, which provides us with time to assess the evolving public health situation on the northern beaches of Sydney. We have made no changes to our schedule and our preference remains to play the match at the Sydney Cricket Ground," Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia's Interim CEO said in an official statement. "Cricket Australia has developed a solid track record of delivery throughout this most challenging of summers and will continue to make appropriate and proportionate decisions in consultation with our biosecurity team, governments, State & Territory Associations, the Australian Cricketers' Association, our partners and venues," he added.

No need to move Rohit Sharma from Sydney, he is safe: BCCI official

India's prolific batsman Rohit Sharma has passed his fitness test by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Friday and will now be travelling to Australia on December 13. Rohit Sharma sustained a hamstring injury while playing IPL in the UAE.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/his-captaincy-is-fabulous-australian-legend-ian-chappell-on-ajinkya-rahane-348835" hreflang="en">'His captaincy is fabulous': Australian legend Ian Chappell on Ajinkya Rahane</a>

Rohit arrived at the NCA on November 19 after he decided to go to India instead of travelling to rest of squad who left for Australia after his father was tested positive for COVID-19.&nbsp;

The BCCI had sent a release addressing the questions rising over Rohit's absence from the ongoing tour Australia, revealing that the batsman had returned home to accompany his ailing father.

“Rohit Sharma had to come back to Mumbai after the IPL to attend to his ailing father. His father is now recuperating well and that has allowed him to travel to the NCA and start his rehabilitation,” BCCI Secretary Jay Shah said in a statement after skipper Virat Kohli questioned his absence.

Rohit Sharma was added into Test squad after Kohli was granted paternity leave due to which the skipper will miss out on remaining three Tests.

As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, Rohit will board a charter flight from Mumbai to Dubai from where he will fly to Sydne on December 13. However, he would not be available for the first match of the series starting December 17 in Adelaide. The 14-day quarantine rule might force Rohit to miss a couple of Tests out there.&nbsp;

India's prolific batsman Rohit Sharma has passed his fitness test by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Friday and will now be travelling to Australia on December 13.

India's prolific batsman Rohit Sharma has passed his fitness test by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Friday and will now be travelling to Australia on December 13. Rohit Sharma sustained a hamstring injury while playing IPL in the UAE. Also read: 'His captaincy is fabulous': Australian legend Ian Chappell on Ajinkya Rahane Rohit arrived at the NCA on November 19 after he decided to go to India instead of travelling to rest of squad who left for Australia after his father was tested positive for COVID-19. The BCCI had sent a release addressing the questions rising over Rohit's absence from the ongoing tour Australia, revealing that the batsman had returned home to accompany his ailing father. “Rohit Sharma had to come back to Mumbai after the IPL to attend to his ailing father. His father is now recuperating well and that has allowed him to travel to the NCA and start his rehabilitation,” BCCI Secretary Jay Shah said in a statement after skipper Virat Kohli questioned his absence. Rohit Sharma was added into Test squad after Kohli was granted paternity leave due to which the skipper will miss out on remaining three Tests. As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, Rohit will board a charter flight from Mumbai to Dubai from where he will fly to Sydne on December 13. However, he would not be available for the first match of the series starting December 17 in Adelaide. The 14-day quarantine rule might force Rohit to miss a couple of Tests out there.

Rohit Sharma passes fitness test at NCA and will travel to Australia

Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni has emerged as the highest-paid player in the Indian Premier League. According to Inside Sports Money Ball, former India captain has earned over Rs 137 crore by playing IPL.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-overshadows-coronavirus-tops-list-of-most-trending-search-on-google-india-in-2020-348595" hreflang="en">IPL overshadows coronavirus, tops list of most trending search on Google India in 2020</a>

Dhoni was the costliest pick in IPL 2008 and he joined Chennai Super Kings for $1.5 million. He went on to become the marquee captain in first three seasons of IPL.&nbsp;

His success with Chennai, which includes three IPL trophies, helped his popularity in the format and is now the highest-paid player in the history of the league.

Rs 137 crore does not include the several cash prizes like Player of the Match awards, etc.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/suresh-raina-to-return-for-ipl-202021-and-syed-mushtaq-ali-348610" hreflang="en">Suresh Raina to return for IPL 2020/21 and Syed Mushtaq Ali</a>

From IPL 2011 to 2013, he earned nearly Rs 8.2 crore every year. In 2014, the BCCI raised the first-choice retention fees to Rs. 12.5 crores. Hence, Dhoni earned that amount in IPL 2014 and 2015. Dhoni was picked up by Rising Pune Supergiants after CSK was suspended for two years. However, his change in the franchise did not change the income he earned.&nbsp;

BCCI increased the first-choice retention price to Rs 15 crore before IPL 2018 due to which Dhoni earned Rs 45 crores in the next three years.&nbsp;

While playing for India, Dhoni mostly remained in the top bracket in BCCI's central contract list. His success in IPL has always helped him stay in the Playing XI in the T20 league.&nbsp;

Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is second in the list. The prolific batsman has earned over Rs 131 crore.

Third, on the list is Virat Kohli. The Royal Challengers' Bangalore skipper comes with an income of over Rs 126 crore.

Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni has emerged as the highest-paid player in the Indian Premier League. According to Inside Sports Money Ball, former India captain has earned over Rs 137 crore by playing IPL.

Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni has emerged as the highest-paid player in the Indian Premier League. According to Inside Sports Money Ball, former India captain has earned over Rs 137 crore by playing IPL. Also read: IPL overshadows coronavirus, tops list of most trending search on Google India in 2020 Dhoni was the costliest pick in IPL 2008 and he joined Chennai Super Kings for $1.5 million. He went on to become the marquee captain in first three seasons of IPL. His success with Chennai, which includes three IPL trophies, helped his popularity in the format and is now the highest-paid player in the history of the league. Rs 137 crore does not include the several cash prizes like Player of the Match awards, etc. Also read: Suresh Raina to return for IPL 2020/21 and Syed Mushtaq Ali From IPL 2011 to 2013, he earned nearly Rs 8.2 crore every year. In 2014, the BCCI raised the first-choice retention fees to Rs. 12.5 crores. Hence, Dhoni earned that amount in IPL 2014 and 2015. Dhoni was picked up by Rising Pune Supergiants after CSK was suspended for two years. However, his change in the franchise did not change the income he earned. BCCI increased the first-choice retention price to Rs 15 crore before IPL 2018 due to which Dhoni earned Rs 45 crores in the next three years. While playing for India, Dhoni mostly remained in the top bracket in BCCI's central contract list. His success in IPL has always helped him stay in the Playing XI in the T20 league. Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is second in the list. The prolific batsman has earned over Rs 131 crore. Third, on the list is Virat Kohli. The Royal Challengers' Bangalore skipper comes with an income of over Rs 126 crore.

MS Dhoni emerges as the highest-paid player in IPL; Checkout the figures!

The entire incident surrounding Rohit Sharma and his fitness could have been handled better and pretty easily, feels former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir. There has been a bit of outrage from fans on social media after the way the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) handled Rohit’s situation during IPL 2020, which might even force him to sit out of the entire Australian tour due to hamstring injury.

While Rohit is nearing his 100 per cent fitness, the strict quarantine rules in Australia could see Rohit unable to make it to the Indian squad in time for the third Test. The next assessment of Rohit’s fitness is set to be done on December 11 in the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, India after which the board will take the call on his status for the last two Test of the series.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the BCCI has requested Cricket Australia to allow Rohit to train during the 14-day quarantine phase. Both the cricket board would require a clearance from the Australian government.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-doesnt-have-authority-to-influence-india-vs-pakistan-bilateral-ties-greg-barclay-346508" hreflang="en">ICC doesn't have authority to influence India vs Pakistan bilateral ties: Greg Barclay</a>

Rohit went on to play the last three matches of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 for Mumbai Indians despite not being at his 100 per cent fitness. However, the BCCI didn’t clear the scene as to why the Indian opener played despite not being fit. Even skipper Virat Kohli had questioned Rohit’s absence by saying they thought he would in flight to Australia.&nbsp;

“The Rohit Sharma situation could’ve been handled pretty easily since there wasn’t any need for too many people to get involved. Only the head physio, head coach and chairman of selectors were to be involved in the injury case. Had there been clear communication with the 3, it would’ve been enough. Of course, Virat Kohli was to get updated at every step through Ravi Shastri,” Gautam Gambhir said on Star Sports show Cricket Connected.

Former cricketer VVS Laxman, too, believes that the BCCI could’ve handled the Rohit Sharma travel situation better given the series is being held amid a pandemic and strict quarantine protocols are in place.

Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman also joined Gambhir by saying the BCCI could have portrayed the Rohit Sharma’s travel situation better.

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“Rohit Sharma is a very valuable player in Test matches. So I would’ve kept him in the chain, subject to fitness, would’ve definitely kept him in the picture. Secondly, you could’ve sent him with the team after that, keeping the quarantine rules in mind. Because there is a 14-day quarantine, in the soft quarantine since you have been in the bubble in UAE. Then you move to another bubble [in Australia]. In soft quarantine, you can practice, train with teammates, hit the gym.

But when you’re taking a commercial flight to Australia, you won’t be allowed to go out of your room and mingle and come in contact with people. So, I believe, the BCCI should’ve thought of this in hindsight,” Laxman said on the show.

Meanwhile, Australia bagged the series 2-0 after winning the first two ODIs in Sydney and will look to clean-sweep the series when they take on India at Canberra on Wednesday. 
&nbsp;

The entire incident surrounding Rohit Sharma and his fitness could have been handled better and pretty easily, feels former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir. There has been a bit of outrage from fans on social media after the way the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) handled Rohit’s situation during IPL 2020, which might even force him to sit out of the entire Australian tour due to hamstring injury.

The entire incident surrounding Rohit Sharma and his fitness could have been handled better and pretty easily, feels former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir. There has been a bit of outrage from fans on social media after the way the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) handled Rohit’s situation during IPL 2020, which might even force him to sit out of the entire Australian tour due to hamstring injury. While Rohit is nearing his 100 per cent fitness, the strict quarantine rules in Australia could see Rohit unable to make it to the Indian squad in time for the third Test. The next assessment of Rohit’s fitness is set to be done on December 11 in the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, India after which the board will take the call on his status for the last two Test of the series. Meanwhile, the BCCI has requested Cricket Australia to allow Rohit to train during the 14-day quarantine phase. Both the cricket board would require a clearance from the Australian government. ALSO READ: ICC doesn't have authority to influence India vs Pakistan bilateral ties: Greg Barclay Rohit went on to play the last three matches of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 for Mumbai Indians despite not being at his 100 per cent fitness. However, the BCCI didn’t clear the scene as to why the Indian opener played despite not being fit. Even skipper Virat Kohli had questioned Rohit’s absence by saying they thought he would in flight to Australia. “The Rohit Sharma situation could’ve been handled pretty easily since there wasn’t any need for too many people to get involved. Only the head physio, head coach and chairman of selectors were to be involved in the injury case. Had there been clear communication with the 3, it would’ve been enough. Of course, Virat Kohli was to get updated at every step through Ravi Shastri,” Gautam Gambhir said on Star Sports show Cricket Connected. Former cricketer VVS Laxman, too, believes that the BCCI could’ve handled the Rohit Sharma travel situation better given the series is being held amid a pandemic and strict quarantine protocols are in place. Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman also joined Gambhir by saying the BCCI could have portrayed the Rohit Sharma’s travel situation better. TRENDING | WATCH: Romain Grosjean survives horrific F1 crash after car engulfs in flames at Bahrain GP “Rohit Sharma is a very valuable player in Test matches. So I would’ve kept him in the chain, subject to fitness, would’ve definitely kept him in the picture. Secondly, you could’ve sent him with the team after that, keeping the quarantine rules in mind. Because there is a 14-day quarantine, in the soft quarantine since you have been in the bubble in UAE. Then you move to another bubble [in Australia]. In soft quarantine, you can practice, train with teammates, hit the gym. But when you’re taking a commercial flight to Australia, you won’t be allowed to go out of your room and mingle and come in contact with people. So, I believe, the BCCI should’ve thought of this in hindsight,” Laxman said on the show. Meanwhile, Australia bagged the series 2-0 after winning the first two ODIs in Sydney and will look to clean-sweep the series when they take on India at Canberra on Wednesday.

Rohit Sharma situation could have been dealt better by BCCI: Gautam Gambhir, VVS Laxman

Rohit Sharma's absence has put the Indian team's opening slot in jeopardy. However, Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar feels that Mayank Agarwal should start on Rohit's batting position.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-returned-to-india-from-uae-as-father-contracted-covid-19-report-345271" hreflang="en">Rohit Sharma returned to India from UAE as father contracted Covid-19: Report</a>

"Mayank, I know, is a confirmed starter because he has scored big runs and if Rohit is fit and available, then he should be there. Between other guys (Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul), that will be the management’s decision as they would be knowing who’s the form man," said Tendulkar in an interview with the PTI.

Mayank had a splendid IPL season with KXIP, his prolific batting earned him an India call up for a Tour of Australia.&nbsp;

According to Tendulkar, Aussie batting line-up have an edge against India. "Smith, (David) Warner and (Marnus) Labuschagne will be a factor and I am confident that the Indian team will leave no stone unturned as far as preparations are concerned. These two seniors back in the team and also with Labuschangne in there, it makes it a much better batting unit. It will be a bit more competitive series and I am sure India is ready for it," said Tendulkar.

Tendulkar believes that Kohli's absence will leave a huge void in India batting lineup.&nbsp;

"Virat not being there without a doubt is a big void but also, on the other hand, the kind of bench strength that we have and the talent that is available, it is a good opportunity for somebody to establish himself," Tendulkar said.

Rohit Sharma's absence has put the Indian team's opening slot in jeopardy. However, Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar feels that Mayank Agarwal should start on Rohit's batting position.

Rohit Sharma's absence has put the Indian team's opening slot in jeopardy. However, Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar feels that Mayank Agarwal should start on Rohit's batting position. Also read: Rohit Sharma returned to India from UAE as father contracted Covid-19: Report "Mayank, I know, is a confirmed starter because he has scored big runs and if Rohit is fit and available, then he should be there. Between other guys (Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul), that will be the management’s decision as they would be knowing who’s the form man," said Tendulkar in an interview with the PTI. Mayank had a splendid IPL season with KXIP, his prolific batting earned him an India call up for a Tour of Australia. According to Tendulkar, Aussie batting line-up have an edge against India. "Smith, (David) Warner and (Marnus) Labuschagne will be a factor and I am confident that the Indian team will leave no stone unturned as far as preparations are concerned. These two seniors back in the team and also with Labuschangne in there, it makes it a much better batting unit. It will be a bit more competitive series and I am sure India is ready for it," said Tendulkar. Tendulkar believes that Kohli's absence will leave a huge void in India batting lineup. "Virat not being there without a doubt is a big void but also, on the other hand, the kind of bench strength that we have and the talent that is available, it is a good opportunity for somebody to establish himself," Tendulkar said.

'He has scored big runs': Sachin Tendulkar picks this India’s opener for Australia Tests

A lot has been debated surrounding the fitness of Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma. The Indian opener suffered a hamstring tear during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 but went on to play the last three matches. However, he was not named in India’s squad for the Australia tour before getting recalled for the Test series. Now, there are reports that he is likely to miss the entire Test series, let alone the first two Tests against Australia – arguably the most important and heated Test series in international cricket.&nbsp;

Rohit is yet to fully recover from the hamstring injury, with which he played the last three matches of IPL 2020 to help Mumbai Indians lift a record fifth title. Rohit didn’t travel with the Indian squad to Australia and rather came back to India and is now rehabilitating and training in the UAE. However, as per a report in Sports Today, Rohit returned to India to see his father, who had contracted COVID-19.

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“Rohit came to Mumbai with the Mumbai Indians because his father had Covid. That is the reality which is why he had to go back to Bombay. After that, if he did not want to play the red-ball series, there was no reason for him to travel to the NCA and he could have easily stayed back in Bombay with Ritika and family and enjoyed the fruits of success. So there’s absolutely no reason to say that Rohit did not want to play the red-ball series,” renowned sports journalist Boria Majumdar said in a video.

As per a report in PTI, quarantine rules in Australia would make it highly unlikely for Rohit as well as Ishant Sharma to feature in the Test series Down Under.&nbsp;

"Even if they travel now they will have 'hard quarantine' since they will travel by commercial flight. Hard quarantine means not being able to train during the 14 days like the whole team," the source said.

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"So, now if only Cricket Australia can convince the government and allow them to train during quarantine," he added.

Rohit was not named in the ODI and T20I series against Australia to recover from the hamstring injury.

But it would be interesting to see whether Cricket Australia (CA) can manage to convince Australian government to relax the quarantine rule for Rohit and Ishan to help them feature in the second half of the four-match Test series. 
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A lot has been debated surrounding the fitness of Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma. The Indian opener suffered a hamstring tear during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 but went on to play the last three matches.

A lot has been debated surrounding the fitness of Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma. The Indian opener suffered a hamstring tear during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 but went on to play the last three matches. However, he was not named in India’s squad for the Australia tour before getting recalled for the Test series. Now, there are reports that he is likely to miss the entire Test series, let alone the first two Tests against Australia – arguably the most important and heated Test series in international cricket. Rohit is yet to fully recover from the hamstring injury, with which he played the last three matches of IPL 2020 to help Mumbai Indians lift a record fifth title. Rohit didn’t travel with the Indian squad to Australia and rather came back to India and is now rehabilitating and training in the UAE. However, as per a report in Sports Today, Rohit returned to India to see his father, who had contracted COVID-19. ALSO READ: England to play four Tests in India: Ganguly “Rohit came to Mumbai with the Mumbai Indians because his father had Covid. That is the reality which is why he had to go back to Bombay. After that, if he did not want to play the red-ball series, there was no reason for him to travel to the NCA and he could have easily stayed back in Bombay with Ritika and family and enjoyed the fruits of success. So there’s absolutely no reason to say that Rohit did not want to play the red-ball series,” renowned sports journalist Boria Majumdar said in a video. As per a report in PTI, quarantine rules in Australia would make it highly unlikely for Rohit as well as Ishant Sharma to feature in the Test series Down Under. "Even if they travel now they will have 'hard quarantine' since they will travel by commercial flight. Hard quarantine means not being able to train during the 14 days like the whole team," the source said. ALSO READ: Virat Kohli in hunt for ICC Player of the Decade Award - Check full nominations list "So, now if only Cricket Australia can convince the government and allow them to train during quarantine," he added. Rohit was not named in the ODI and T20I series against Australia to recover from the hamstring injury. But it would be interesting to see whether Cricket Australia (CA) can manage to convince Australian government to relax the quarantine rule for Rohit and Ishan to help them feature in the second half of the four-match Test series.

Rohit Sharma returned to India from UAE as father contracted Covid-19: Report

Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma have been ruled out of the first two Test matches of the Border-Gavaskar trophy in Australia. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will have to make quick calls if they want Rohit and Ishant to be available for the last two Tests of the series, which will start on December 16 in Adelaide.

According to ESPNCricinfo, Ishant has regained bowling fitness but still needs another four weeks of workload to be up for the Tests and will have to board immediately to be in contention for the third Test.

The strict quarantine phase of 14 days in Australia allows them to train only after four weeks and then another four weeks of preparatory training can only make Ishant ready for the third Test, which will be played on January 7 in Sydney.&nbsp;

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"If there is a T20 game and he needs to just bowl four overs, Ishant is good to go immediately, but for him to get back to Test-match fitness, he needs four weeks of proper bowling still," a BCCI source said.

Whereas, Rohit Sharma can be cleared to travel by the NCA on December 8 – at the earliest. Another 14 days in quarantine will keep him out of training until December 22.

Rohit had suffered a hamstring tear during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 and will take another two weeks of rehabilitation to be “70 or 80% readiness”, as per a BCCI functionary. The official feels Rohit might have been ready for the Tests had he flown directly to Australia from the UAE.

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If Rohit is out then Shreyas Iyer is likely to be included in the Test squad as reserve batsman.&nbsp;

India have the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj in the Test squad, as far as fast bowling is concerned, along with the Kartik Tyagi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Ishan Porel in the reserve bench.

Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma have been ruled out of the first two Test matches of the Border-Gavaskar trophy in Australia. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will have to make quick calls if they want Rohit and Ishant to be available for the last two Tests of the series, which will start on December 16 in Adelaide.

Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma have been ruled out of the first two Test matches of the Border-Gavaskar trophy in Australia. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will have to make quick calls if they want Rohit and Ishant to be available for the last two Tests of the series, which will start on December 16 in Adelaide. According to ESPNCricinfo, Ishant has regained bowling fitness but still needs another four weeks of workload to be up for the Tests and will have to board immediately to be in contention for the third Test. The strict quarantine phase of 14 days in Australia allows them to train only after four weeks and then another four weeks of preparatory training can only make Ishant ready for the third Test, which will be played on January 7 in Sydney. ALSO READ: With India series looming, Smith relieved to find his hands "If there is a T20 game and he needs to just bowl four overs, Ishant is good to go immediately, but for him to get back to Test-match fitness, he needs four weeks of proper bowling still," a BCCI source said. Whereas, Rohit Sharma can be cleared to travel by the NCA on December 8 – at the earliest. Another 14 days in quarantine will keep him out of training until December 22. Rohit had suffered a hamstring tear during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 and will take another two weeks of rehabilitation to be “70 or 80% readiness”, as per a BCCI functionary. The official feels Rohit might have been ready for the Tests had he flown directly to Australia from the UAE. ALSO READ: India's Mohammed Siraj opens up on the loss of his father, says 'want to fulfil his dream' If Rohit is out then Shreyas Iyer is likely to be included in the Test squad as reserve batsman. India have the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj in the Test squad, as far as fast bowling is concerned, along with the Kartik Tyagi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Ishan Porel in the reserve bench.

India's Rohit, Ishant Sharma out of first 2 Tests vs Australia

The debate of split-captaincy fo Team India has been making rounds after Rohit Sharma led Mumbai Indians to a fifth IPL trophy. Talks of Sharma being the T20 captain has been buzzing around the Indian cricketing spectrum for a while. However, Indi's world cup-winning captain Kapil Dev feels that split-captaincy is not good for the team.&nbsp;

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"In our culture it is not going to happen that way. In one company you make two CEOs? No. If Kohli is going to play T20s and he is good enough. Let him be there. Even though I would like to see other people coming out. But it's difficult," said Kapil at the HT Leadership Summit.

"Our 80 per cent, 70 per cent of the team across formats is the same team. They don't like captains having different theory. It may bring more differences between the players who look up to the captain.

"If you have two captains, players might think he is going to be my captain in Tests. I will not annoy him."

Earlier, Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar also triggered the split-captaincy debate and said that Rohit Sharma should be allowed to lead team India.&nbsp;

The debate of split-captaincy fo Team India has been making rounds after Rohit Sharma led Mumbai Indians to a fifth IPL trophy. Talks of Sharma being the T20 captain has been buzzing around the Indian cricketing spectrum for a while.

The debate of split-captaincy fo Team India has been making rounds after Rohit Sharma led Mumbai Indians to a fifth IPL trophy. Talks of Sharma being the T20 captain has been buzzing around the Indian cricketing spectrum for a while. However, Indi's world cup-winning captain Kapil Dev feels that split-captaincy is not good for the team. Also read: 'If Rohit does well..': Shoaib Akhtar sparks split-captaincy debate "In our culture it is not going to happen that way. In one company you make two CEOs? No. If Kohli is going to play T20s and he is good enough. Let him be there. Even though I would like to see other people coming out. But it's difficult," said Kapil at the HT Leadership Summit. "Our 80 per cent, 70 per cent of the team across formats is the same team. They don't like captains having different theory. It may bring more differences between the players who look up to the captain. "If you have two captains, players might think he is going to be my captain in Tests. I will not annoy him." Earlier, Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar also triggered the split-captaincy debate and said that Rohit Sharma should be allowed to lead team India.

'In our culture it is not going..': Kapil Dev on split-captaincy in Team India

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar believes that India-Australia's Test series will be Rohit Sharma's "best chance" in the absence of skipper Kohli to stake a claim for captaincy in one of the limited-overs formats.

People have been urging for split captaincy ever since Rohit Sharma's fifth IPL trophy win with Mumbai Indians. He also led India to an Asia Cup title in Virat Kohli's absence.&nbsp;

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Shoaib Akhtar feels that Rohit might be given the reigns of Test squad even though Ajinkya Rahane is the vice-captain.&nbsp;

While speaking to PTI, Akhtar said: "My take on it is pretty simple. From what I know Virat is very keen to take the team forward. It all depends on how fatigued he is feeling. He has been playing non-stop since 2010, has got 70 centuries and a mountain of runs under his belt."

"If he is feeling fatigued, then he should think about giving the leadership role to Rohit is one of the formats (preferably T20s).

"I could see the boredom on his face during the IPL, may be it was because of the bio-bubble situation, he seemed a bit stressed out. It all depends on how he feels. Rohit has been ready for captaincy for a while."

Rohit will be up against one of the best bowling attacks in the world. He will be facing lethal spearheads like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Rohit will be rested for the limited-overs series against the Aussies but will be a part of the Test squad.&nbsp;

"Rohit is one of the greatest batsmen India has produced. Now he also understands the real value of his talent.

"Australia will be his best chance to prove himself as captain. He should grab it with both hands. He has the talent and ability to lead the team. It will be a tough test for India, and I would look for these kind of situations as a player.

"The whole world would be looking at Rohit as captain and batsman. If he does well for himself and the team, then there should be a debate about split captaincy."

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar believes that India-Australia's Test series will be Rohit Sharma's "best chance" in the absence of skipper Kohli to stake a claim for captaincy in one of the limited-overs formats.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar believes that India-Australia's Test series will be Rohit Sharma's "best chance" in the absence of skipper Kohli to stake a claim for captaincy in one of the limited-overs formats. People have been urging for split captaincy ever since Rohit Sharma's fifth IPL trophy win with Mumbai Indians. He also led India to an Asia Cup title in Virat Kohli's absence. Also read: After IPL 2020, Rohit Sharma begins fitness training at NCA Shoaib Akhtar feels that Rohit might be given the reigns of Test squad even though Ajinkya Rahane is the vice-captain. While speaking to PTI, Akhtar said: "My take on it is pretty simple. From what I know Virat is very keen to take the team forward. It all depends on how fatigued he is feeling. He has been playing non-stop since 2010, has got 70 centuries and a mountain of runs under his belt." "If he is feeling fatigued, then he should think about giving the leadership role to Rohit is one of the formats (preferably T20s). "I could see the boredom on his face during the IPL, may be it was because of the bio-bubble situation, he seemed a bit stressed out. It all depends on how he feels. Rohit has been ready for captaincy for a while." Rohit will be up against one of the best bowling attacks in the world. He will be facing lethal spearheads like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Rohit will be rested for the limited-overs series against the Aussies but will be a part of the Test squad. "Rohit is one of the greatest batsmen India has produced. Now he also understands the real value of his talent. "Australia will be his best chance to prove himself as captain. He should grab it with both hands. He has the talent and ability to lead the team. It will be a tough test for India, and I would look for these kind of situations as a player. "The whole world would be looking at Rohit as captain and batsman. If he does well for himself and the team, then there should be a debate about split captaincy."

'If Rohit does well..': Shoaib Akhtar sparks split-captaincy debate

India batsman Rohit Sharma has begun his fitness training on Thursday at the National Cricket Academy.&nbsp;

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Rohit has been added in Test squad after being rested for India’s limited-overs fixtures against Australia. He was included in the revised Test squad after leading his IPL team (Mumbai Indians) to its fifth title.&nbsp;

Even though Rohit had declared himself fit, the BCCI, however, felt he needed more time to recover from the hamstring injury he had suffered during the IPL. This triggered a massive debate of ver his fitness.&nbsp;

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Sharma ended his woeful IPL season on a high after scoring 68 runs in the finals.&nbsp;

Rohit's fitness is crucial for Team India as skipper Kohli has decided to depart after playing the first Test against the Aussies.&nbsp;

Ishant Sharma on Wednesday is also present at the NCA for his injury rehab. Both Ishant and Rohit Sharma will fly to Australia together and undergo a 14-day quarantine before joining the team.

India batsman Rohit Sharma has begun his fitness training on Thursday at the National Cricket Academy. Also read: IND vs AUS: Ishant bowls at Chinnaswamy Stadium with eyes on Adelaide Test Rohit has been added in Test squad after being rested for India’s limited-overs fixtures against Australia.

India batsman Rohit Sharma has begun his fitness training on Thursday at the National Cricket Academy. Also read: IND vs AUS: Ishant bowls at Chinnaswamy Stadium with eyes on Adelaide Test Rohit has been added in Test squad after being rested for India’s limited-overs fixtures against Australia. He was included in the revised Test squad after leading his IPL team (Mumbai Indians) to its fifth title. Even though Rohit had declared himself fit, the BCCI, however, felt he needed more time to recover from the hamstring injury he had suffered during the IPL. This triggered a massive debate of ver his fitness. Also read: AUS vs IND: Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami likely to be rotated in white-ball series Sharma ended his woeful IPL season on a high after scoring 68 runs in the finals. Rohit's fitness is crucial for Team India as skipper Kohli has decided to depart after playing the first Test against the Aussies. Ishant Sharma on Wednesday is also present at the NCA for his injury rehab. Both Ishant and Rohit Sharma will fly to Australia together and undergo a 14-day quarantine before joining the team.

After IPL 2020, Rohit Sharma begins fitness training at NCA

Rohit Sharma played the last three matches of Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 as he led the Mumbai outfit to their fifth IPL trophy. As Rohit took the field for MI’s matches in IPL 2020 in the latter half of the tournament, confusion grew over his fitness as the Indian selectors hadn’t name Rohit in the limited-overs squad for the series against Australia.&nbsp;

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has now said that Rohit Sharma is still only 70 per cent fit while clarifying this is the reason why he is not picked for the ODI and T20I series against Australia. After much deliberation, Rohit was recently added to the Indian Test squad.

"Rohit is still 70 per cent [fit]," Ganguly said in an interview with The Week when asked about Rohit. "Why don't you find out from Rohit himself? That is why he is still not picked for the ODIs and T20s down under. He has been added to the Test squad." 
Rohit had suffered a hamstring tear in his left leg on October 18 and went on to miss Mumbai Indians’ next four matches. However, he came back in the last three and helped the Mumbai outfit lift their fifth IPL trophy.

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It is likely that Rohit would undergo rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru before joining the Indian squad in Australia for the four-match Test series, starting December 17. He still has to pass a fitness test and hasn’t travelled with the Indian squad to Australia.

Another player, who is injured is Wriddhiman Saha. The gloveman picked up hamstring injuries on both his legs. Ganguly has said that the BCCI, Indian physios and the players know about the injury status and that is enough for the board while adding that Wriddhiman will be fit for the Test series against Australia.

"I think people don't know how the BCCI works. The BCCI trainers, physio and Wriddhi himself know that he has two hamstring issues. People don't understand injuries, that is why they talk rubbish"

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"Who should know [about player injuries]? We know, the Indian physio knows, the NCA knows," Ganguly said. "I think people don't know how the BCCI works. The BCCI trainers, physio and Wriddhi himself know that he has two hamstring issues. People don't understand injuries, that is why they talk rubbish.

"Wriddhi is travelling to Australia because he will be fit for Tests. He is not part of the shorter formats. For the entire duration of the IPL, Indian physios and trainers were in Dubai. [India physio] Dr. Nitin Patel is managing injuries and monitoring it all."

Rohit Sharma played the last three matches of Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 as he led the Mumbai outfit to their fifth IPL trophy. As Rohit took the field for MI’s matches in IPL 2020 in the latter half of the tournament, confusion grew over his fitness as the Indian selectors hadn’t name Rohit in the limited-overs squad for the series against Australia.

Rohit Sharma played the last three matches of Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 as he led the Mumbai outfit to their fifth IPL trophy. As Rohit took the field for MI’s matches in IPL 2020 in the latter half of the tournament, confusion grew over his fitness as the Indian selectors hadn’t name Rohit in the limited-overs squad for the series against Australia. BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has now said that Rohit Sharma is still only 70 per cent fit while clarifying this is the reason why he is not picked for the ODI and T20I series against Australia. After much deliberation, Rohit was recently added to the Indian Test squad. "Rohit is still 70 per cent [fit]," Ganguly said in an interview with The Week when asked about Rohit. "Why don't you find out from Rohit himself? That is why he is still not picked for the ODIs and T20s down under. He has been added to the Test squad." Rohit had suffered a hamstring tear in his left leg on October 18 and went on to miss Mumbai Indians’ next four matches. However, he came back in the last three and helped the Mumbai outfit lift their fifth IPL trophy. ALSO READ: IPL 2020 witnessed record-breaking surge in viewership It is likely that Rohit would undergo rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru before joining the Indian squad in Australia for the four-match Test series, starting December 17. He still has to pass a fitness test and hasn’t travelled with the Indian squad to Australia. Another player, who is injured is Wriddhiman Saha. The gloveman picked up hamstring injuries on both his legs. Ganguly has said that the BCCI, Indian physios and the players know about the injury status and that is enough for the board while adding that Wriddhiman will be fit for the Test series against Australia. "I think people don't know how the BCCI works. The BCCI trainers, physio and Wriddhi himself know that he has two hamstring issues. People don't understand injuries, that is why they talk rubbish" ALSO READ: Change overseas players' limit to 5: BCCI official suggests changes for 10-team IPL 2021 "Who should know [about player injuries]? We know, the Indian physio knows, the NCA knows," Ganguly said. "I think people don't know how the BCCI works. The BCCI trainers, physio and Wriddhi himself know that he has two hamstring issues. People don't understand injuries, that is why they talk rubbish. "Wriddhi is travelling to Australia because he will be fit for Tests. He is not part of the shorter formats. For the entire duration of the IPL, Indian physios and trainers were in Dubai. [India physio] Dr. Nitin Patel is managing injuries and monitoring it all."

'Why don't you find out from Rohit himself?' - Sourav Ganguly says Rohit Sharma is still 70% fit

Mumbai Indians on Tuesday defeated Delhi Capitals in the final of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> to lift their fifth IPL trophy. Mumbai Indians, who have played arguably the most attractive and effective brand of cricket in IPL 2020, defeated Delhi Capitals by 5&nbsp;wickets to seal their fifth IPL trophy in what has been a sensational campaign for the four-time, now five-time IPL winners. &nbsp;

Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer opted to bat first as the first-time finalists went with the same strategy as Qualifier 2. However, Trent Boult came into the party early as the Kiwi speedster dismissed Marcus Stoinis in the very first ball of the match before soon sending Ajinkya Rahane back to the pavilion.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-suryakumar-yadav-would-have-played-for-england-straightaway-says-monty-panesar-342140" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Suryakumar Yadav would have played for England, says Monty Panesar</a>

Mumbai Indians picked Jayant Yadav ahead of Rahul Chahar for the final and move came good for Rohit Sharma as the off-spinner got rid of an in-form Shikhar Dhawan. With Delhi Capitals struggling at 22/3, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant came good with the willow as they stitched a 98-run partnership while smashing a half-century each. While Iyer scored 65 not-out off 50, Pant scored 56 off 38 deliveries as Delhi Capitals posted 156/7 in 20 overs.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-trent-boult-surpasses-bhuvneshwar-kumar-zaheer-khan-to-achieve-unique-record-342207" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Trent Boult surpasses Bhuvneshwar, Zaheer to achieve unique record</a>

Chasing 157, Mumbai Indians were off to a flying start as Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock went all-out from the word go. While sixes and fours flew smoothly for MI in the early overs, QDK departed for 20 off 12. Suryakumar Yadav started well but was a victim of a run-out which could only win plenty of hearts.&nbsp;

Ishan Kishan continued his sensational run with the bat and ably supported Rohit Sharma, who went onto score a terrific half-century. While Rohit departed for 68, Pollard was dismissed for 9 off 4. However, Mumbai Indians safely crossed the winning line to lift their fifth IPL trophy.

Suryakumar:&nbsp;Preparations, processes and routine are important. they just one thing - we'll take care of this. You go and express yourself. [The Rohit sacrifice] he was batting really well. Most importantly, he's been anchoring well since the first game. I don't mind sacrificing for him at all.

Bumrah:&nbsp;It means a great deal to play. We know it's a difficult time, everyone is stuck at home. We're lucky that we could come to work and entertain people watching at home. If we could bring smiles to their faces, it's the best thing we could do. From the first game, I felt my rhythm was up. The last piece of the puzzle was missing. But when I bowled the Super Over, I had to execute against Virat and AB and since then it clicked into place.

Mumbai Indians on Tuesday defeated Delhi Capitals in the final of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 to lift their fifth IPL trophy. Mumbai Indians, who have played arguably the most attractive and effective brand of cricket in IPL 2020, defeated Delhi Capitals by 5 wickets to seal their fifth IPL trophy in what has been a sensational campaign for the four-time, now five-time IPL winners.

Mumbai Indians on Tuesday defeated Delhi Capitals in the final of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 to lift their fifth IPL trophy. Mumbai Indians, who have played arguably the most attractive and effective brand of cricket in IPL 2020, defeated Delhi Capitals by 5 wickets to seal their fifth IPL trophy in what has been a sensational campaign for the four-time, now five-time IPL winners. Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer opted to bat first as the first-time finalists went with the same strategy as Qualifier 2. However, Trent Boult came into the party early as the Kiwi speedster dismissed Marcus Stoinis in the very first ball of the match before soon sending Ajinkya Rahane back to the pavilion. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Suryakumar Yadav would have played for England, says Monty Panesar Mumbai Indians picked Jayant Yadav ahead of Rahul Chahar for the final and move came good for Rohit Sharma as the off-spinner got rid of an in-form Shikhar Dhawan. With Delhi Capitals struggling at 22/3, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant came good with the willow as they stitched a 98-run partnership while smashing a half-century each. While Iyer scored 65 not-out off 50, Pant scored 56 off 38 deliveries as Delhi Capitals posted 156/7 in 20 overs. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Trent Boult surpasses Bhuvneshwar, Zaheer to achieve unique record Chasing 157, Mumbai Indians were off to a flying start as Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock went all-out from the word go. While sixes and fours flew smoothly for MI in the early overs, QDK departed for 20 off 12. Suryakumar Yadav started well but was a victim of a run-out which could only win plenty of hearts. Ishan Kishan continued his sensational run with the bat and ably supported Rohit Sharma, who went onto score a terrific half-century. While Rohit departed for 68, Pollard was dismissed for 9 off 4. However, Mumbai Indians safely crossed the winning line to lift their fifth IPL trophy. Suryakumar: Preparations, processes and routine are important. they just one thing - we'll take care of this. You go and express yourself. [The Rohit sacrifice] he was batting really well. Most importantly, he's been anchoring well since the first game. I don't mind sacrificing for him at all. Bumrah: It means a great deal to play. We know it's a difficult time, everyone is stuck at home. We're lucky that we could come to work and entertain people watching at home. If we could bring smiles to their faces, it's the best thing we could do. From the first game, I felt my rhythm was up. The last piece of the puzzle was missing. But when I bowled the Super Over, I had to execute against Virat and AB and since then it clicked into place.

Mumbai Indians win 5th IPL trophy, defeat Delhi Capitals by 5 wickets in final

Rohit Sharma continued to cement his legacy as one of the finest white-ball captains after leading Mumbai Indians to their fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy after defeating Delhi Capitals in the final of IPL 2020. Now, Indian captain, Virat Kohli is facing calls to hand over the white-ball leadership duties to Rohit Sharma after yet another disappointing season in the Indian Premier League with Royal Challengers Bangalore.

While Rohit has led Mumbai Indians to five IPL trophies, Kohli has failed to win one thus far, prompting calls for the Hitman to take over the captaincy duties of the national T20 side.&nbsp;

India are set to leave for Australia this week to start a two-week quarantine phase before playing three T20Is, as many ODIs and four Tests.&nbsp;

Following the IPL final, former India batsman Gautam Gambhir and ex-England captain Michael Vaughan said Sharma should take over as the national T20 captain.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-from-most-valuable-player-to-emerging-player-of-the-year-check-out-all-awards-from-ipl-342383" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: From Most Valuable Player to Emerging Player of the Year, check out all awards from IPL</a>

"Rohit has won five IPL titles; he is the most successful captain in the history of the tournament," Gambhir told ESPNcricinfo.

"Going forward, it'll be a shame if he doesn't get India's white-ball (one-day) or just T20 captaincy."

Rohit has completely transformed Mumbai Indians since taking over the charge from Australian great Ricky Ponting in 2013, and all five of their trophies have come under his leadership.

Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore had bowed out in the playoffs in IPL 2020, after two bottom-placed finishes in the previous three editions.&nbsp;

Vaughan also backed Sharma to become India's T20 leader.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bubbles-and-the-boss-five-things-we-learned-from-the-ipl-342385" hreflang="en">Bubbles and the boss: five things we learned from the IPL</a>

"Without question, Rohit Sharma should be the Indian T20 captain," he wrote on Twitter, describing him as a "fantastic man manager and leader".

"He knows exactly how to win T20 games. It would also give Virat a chance to take a breather and just be the player." 
Vaughan said relieving Kohli of the captaincy was not "an admittance of failure", but rather "what is best for the Indian cricket team".

Meanwhile, Rohit is not part of India’s ODI and T20I sides for Australia as he is still ‘recovering’ from a hamstring injury that saw him miss four IPL matches.&nbsp;

The 33-year-old will be part of the four Tests, however, while Kohli will miss three of them as he is taking paternity leave after the opening match in Adelaide.

Rohit Sharma continued to cement his legacy as one of the finest white-ball captains after leading Mumbai Indians to their fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy after defeating Delhi Capitals in the final of IPL 2020.

Rohit Sharma continued to cement his legacy as one of the finest white-ball captains after leading Mumbai Indians to their fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy after defeating Delhi Capitals in the final of IPL 2020. Now, Indian captain, Virat Kohli is facing calls to hand over the white-ball leadership duties to Rohit Sharma after yet another disappointing season in the Indian Premier League with Royal Challengers Bangalore. While Rohit has led Mumbai Indians to five IPL trophies, Kohli has failed to win one thus far, prompting calls for the Hitman to take over the captaincy duties of the national T20 side. India are set to leave for Australia this week to start a two-week quarantine phase before playing three T20Is, as many ODIs and four Tests. Following the IPL final, former India batsman Gautam Gambhir and ex-England captain Michael Vaughan said Sharma should take over as the national T20 captain. IN PICS | IPL 2020: From Most Valuable Player to Emerging Player of the Year, check out all awards from IPL "Rohit has won five IPL titles; he is the most successful captain in the history of the tournament," Gambhir told ESPNcricinfo. "Going forward, it'll be a shame if he doesn't get India's white-ball (one-day) or just T20 captaincy." Rohit has completely transformed Mumbai Indians since taking over the charge from Australian great Ricky Ponting in 2013, and all five of their trophies have come under his leadership. Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore had bowed out in the playoffs in IPL 2020, after two bottom-placed finishes in the previous three editions. Vaughan also backed Sharma to become India's T20 leader. ALSO READ: Bubbles and the boss: five things we learned from the IPL "Without question, Rohit Sharma should be the Indian T20 captain," he wrote on Twitter, describing him as a "fantastic man manager and leader". "He knows exactly how to win T20 games. It would also give Virat a chance to take a breather and just be the player." Vaughan said relieving Kohli of the captaincy was not "an admittance of failure", but rather "what is best for the Indian cricket team". Meanwhile, Rohit is not part of India’s ODI and T20I sides for Australia as he is still ‘recovering’ from a hamstring injury that saw him miss four IPL matches. The 33-year-old will be part of the four Tests, however, while Kohli will miss three of them as he is taking paternity leave after the opening match in Adelaide.

Gautam Gambhir, Michael Vaughan back Rohit Sharma to replace Virat Kohli as India's T20I skipper

Before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, Mumbai Indians traded Kiwi speedster Trent Boult from Delhi Capitals and the move has reaped rich rewards for the four-time IPL winners with the left-arm pacer being lethal with the ball throughout IPL 2020.&nbsp;

Boult will be up against his former side in the final of IPL 2020 on Tuesday with MI targeting their fifth IPL trophy. Ahead of the much-awaited summit clash between MI and DC, Rohit Sharma said Mumbai Indians were ‘lucky’ to have signed the best new-ball bowler.

Rohit said that Mumbai Indians wanted someone who would scalp those wickets in the powerplay and Boult has delivered it tremendously during the course of IPL 2020.

"We always wanted somebody who could get those wickets for us early in the powerplay with the new ball. We looked across the world and, obviously, it is a no-brainer that he is the best bowler with the new ball when it comes to swinging the new ball back into the batsmen, and to a left-hander taking the ball away. He is the best in the business,” Rohit said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/aus-vs-ind-steve-waugh-disappointed-with-virat-kohli-missing-3-tests-irfan-pathan-says-family-is-important-342163" hreflang="en">AUS vs IND: Steve Waugh disappointed with Virat Kohli missing 3 Tests, Irfan Pathan says 'family is important'</a>

"We always wanted him and luckily we got him traded from Delhi and he has not disappointed us. He has bowled well with the new ball and also in the middle and the back-end. He is a great asset to have in the squad and hope he can do it one more time for us," said Sharma.

Boult, who was exceptional against Dc in Qualifier 1, had suffered a groin injury but Rohit has confirmed that the Kiwi star is set to feature in the summit clash against DC.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-final-is-the-biggest-thing-after-world-cup-final-says-kieron-pollard-342152" hreflang="en">'IPL final is the biggest thing after World Cup final', says Kieron Pollard</a>

"Trent looks pretty good. He is going to have a session today with all of us, he has pulled up pretty well in the last two days. So, fingers crossed, hopefully, he plays," Rohit confirmed. 
&nbsp;

Before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, Mumbai Indians traded Kiwi speedster Trent Boult from Delhi Capitals and the move has reaped rich rewards for the four-time IPL winners with the left-arm pacer being lethal with the ball throughout IPL 2020.

Before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, Mumbai Indians traded Kiwi speedster Trent Boult from Delhi Capitals and the move has reaped rich rewards for the four-time IPL winners with the left-arm pacer being lethal with the ball throughout IPL 2020. Boult will be up against his former side in the final of IPL 2020 on Tuesday with MI targeting their fifth IPL trophy. Ahead of the much-awaited summit clash between MI and DC, Rohit Sharma said Mumbai Indians were ‘lucky’ to have signed the best new-ball bowler. Rohit said that Mumbai Indians wanted someone who would scalp those wickets in the powerplay and Boult has delivered it tremendously during the course of IPL 2020. "We always wanted somebody who could get those wickets for us early in the powerplay with the new ball. We looked across the world and, obviously, it is a no-brainer that he is the best bowler with the new ball when it comes to swinging the new ball back into the batsmen, and to a left-hander taking the ball away. He is the best in the business,” Rohit said. ALSO READ: AUS vs IND: Steve Waugh disappointed with Virat Kohli missing 3 Tests, Irfan Pathan says 'family is important' "We always wanted him and luckily we got him traded from Delhi and he has not disappointed us. He has bowled well with the new ball and also in the middle and the back-end. He is a great asset to have in the squad and hope he can do it one more time for us," said Sharma. Boult, who was exceptional against Dc in Qualifier 1, had suffered a groin injury but Rohit has confirmed that the Kiwi star is set to feature in the summit clash against DC. ALSO READ: 'IPL final is the biggest thing after World Cup final', says Kieron Pollard "Trent looks pretty good. He is going to have a session today with all of us, he has pulled up pretty well in the last two days. So, fingers crossed, hopefully, he plays," Rohit confirmed.

IPL 2020: 'We always wanted him' - Rohit Sharma 'lucky' to have Trent Boult in Mumbai Indians

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> final is all set to come to an end after the final between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday. Before that, both MI and DC would be looking to get hold of the coveted trophy by winning the much-awaited summit clash.&nbsp;

While all eyes will be on who will win IPL 2020, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is on the cusp on touching three iconic landmarks in IPL. While Rohit has his eyes on his sixth IPL title after winning it four times with Mumbai Indians and once with Deccan Chargers, few personal milestones also await the Hitman.&nbsp;

With the final of IPL 2020, Rohit will mark his 200th match in the Indian Premier League and will become the second player after MS Dhoni to bag the milestone. Rohit has so far played 199 matches in IPL – for Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians).

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-suryakumar-yadav-would-have-played-for-england-straightaway-says-monty-panesar-342140" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Suryakumar Yadav would have played for England straightaway, says Monty Panesar</a>

The Hitman is also on the verge of touching 4000-run mark in IPL for Mumbai Indians and stands just eight runs away from the landmark. The likes of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli have already reached the milestone after spending majority of their careers in CSK and RCB respectively.

Rohit is also 43 runs away from reaching 3000 runs in the IPL as captain. The likes of Dhoni, Kohli and Gautam Gambhir have accumulated more than 3000 runs as captain of an IPL franchise.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-ricky-ponting-confident-ahead-of-delhi-capitals-final-match-against-mumbai-indians-342145" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Ricky Ponting confident ahead of Delhi Capital's final match against Mumbai Indians</a>

The swashbuckling right-handed batsman has struggled due to hamstring issues of late and has missed four matches for the Mumbai franchise. He has managed to score just 264 runs at an average of 24 and a strike-rate of 126.31. However, he would be looking to play a big knock in the grand finale of IPL 2020 against Delhi Capitals and guide his side to fifth IPL trophy.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 final is all set to come to an end after the final between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 final is all set to come to an end after the final between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday. Before that, both MI and DC would be looking to get hold of the coveted trophy by winning the much-awaited summit clash. While all eyes will be on who will win IPL 2020, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is on the cusp on touching three iconic landmarks in IPL. While Rohit has his eyes on his sixth IPL title after winning it four times with Mumbai Indians and once with Deccan Chargers, few personal milestones also await the Hitman. With the final of IPL 2020, Rohit will mark his 200th match in the Indian Premier League and will become the second player after MS Dhoni to bag the milestone. Rohit has so far played 199 matches in IPL – for Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians). ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Suryakumar Yadav would have played for England straightaway, says Monty Panesar The Hitman is also on the verge of touching 4000-run mark in IPL for Mumbai Indians and stands just eight runs away from the landmark. The likes of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli have already reached the milestone after spending majority of their careers in CSK and RCB respectively. Rohit is also 43 runs away from reaching 3000 runs in the IPL as captain. The likes of Dhoni, Kohli and Gautam Gambhir have accumulated more than 3000 runs as captain of an IPL franchise. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Ricky Ponting confident ahead of Delhi Capital's final match against Mumbai Indians The swashbuckling right-handed batsman has struggled due to hamstring issues of late and has missed four matches for the Mumbai franchise. He has managed to score just 264 runs at an average of 24 and a strike-rate of 126.31. However, he would be looking to play a big knock in the grand finale of IPL 2020 against Delhi Capitals and guide his side to fifth IPL trophy.

IPL 2020 Final: Rohit Sharma on verge of touching 3 iconic milestones

Virat Kohli has been granted a paternity leave by the BCCI and will return to India after playing the first test in Adelaide as his actor wife Anushka Sharma is due to give birth to their first child in early January.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma has been added to the Test squad. The BCCI has decided to rest Rohit for the ODIs and T20Is in Australia so that he regains full fitness.&nbsp;

According to BCCI, this was decided at the selection committee meeting that was held on October 26.&nbsp;

Earlier, a Times of India report suggested that Rohit will be selected only if he clears the fitness test.&nbsp;

The report said that Team India physio Nitin Patel has to declare Sharma fit only to be considered for selection.&nbsp;

"Rohit won’t travel to Australia unless he clears a fitness Test conducted by Team India physio Nitin Patel. Unless Patel and the National Cricket Academy declare him fit, Rohit is not going to Australia," said a source in the BCCI.&nbsp;

"However, we’re keen to see that Rohit is fit in time for the Test series, considering that Virat has written to the Board that he may miss as many as three Tests due to personal reasons in January."

Virat Kohli has been granted a paternity leave by the BCCI and will return to India after playing the first test in Adelaide as his actor wife Anushka Sharma is due to give birth to their first child in early January.

Virat Kohli has been granted a paternity leave by the BCCI and will return to India after playing the first test in Adelaide as his actor wife Anushka Sharma is due to give birth to their first child in early January. Rohit Sharma has been added to the Test squad. The BCCI has decided to rest Rohit for the ODIs and T20Is in Australia so that he regains full fitness. According to BCCI, this was decided at the selection committee meeting that was held on October 26. Earlier, a Times of India report suggested that Rohit will be selected only if he clears the fitness test. The report said that Team India physio Nitin Patel has to declare Sharma fit only to be considered for selection. "Rohit won’t travel to Australia unless he clears a fitness Test conducted by Team India physio Nitin Patel. Unless Patel and the National Cricket Academy declare him fit, Rohit is not going to Australia," said a source in the BCCI. "However, we’re keen to see that Rohit is fit in time for the Test series, considering that Virat has written to the Board that he may miss as many as three Tests due to personal reasons in January."

India's tour of Australia: Virat Kohli granted paternity leave, Rohit joins Test squad

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