Indian captain Rohit Sharma announced on Tuesday that five players, including the in-form Shubman Gill, will not be available for selection in the third One-Day International (ODI) against Australia due to a viral sickness and personal reasons. The team, currently leading the series 2-0, will be left with just 13 players for the final ODI. Gill is resting, while Axar Patel is recovering from a left quadricep injury sustained during the Asia Cup and is at the National Cricket Academy.
Pacers Mohammed Shami and Shardul Thakur, who featured in the first two ODIs, along with Hardik Pandya, who has yet to play in this series, have chosen to return to their respective homes.
Rohit Sharma expressed, “We have got a lot of players who are sick and not available, a lot of players have personal problems so they have gone home and a few of the guys have been rested as well. We have got 13 players at this point in time.”
He further clarified, “Obviously, Gill has been rested, Shami, Hardik, and Shardul have all gone home again, personal things. Axar, obviously, is not available for this game.”
The uncertainty within the team has been exacerbated by the viral illness that has affected several players. Rohit remarked, “There is a bit of a viral going around in the team as well. So, there is a lot of uncertainty in the team at this point in time which we cannot help.”
Rohit Sharma, who missed the first two ODIs against Australia, emphasized the importance of prioritizing player well-being. “Looking at the next few weeks, it is quite important for us to look after the players and their well-being. So, it is okay for them to be at home at this point, the reason being we want everybody to be fresh during the World Cup and hopefully they can come back fresh,” he concluded.
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