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Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly wants India captain Rohit Sharma to play the 1st Test against Australia, starting November 22 in Perth. Rohit became a dad for the second time on Friday as his wife gave birth to a baby boy. Rohit didn't travel to Australia with the rest of the team after communicating to the BCCI that he might not be available for the 1st Test as he due delivery date was closer to the game at the Optus Stadium.
The Indian team management has been on the hunt to find a replacement at the top for Rohit as there's no clarity on whether the star batter will play the game beginning next Friday.
However, Ganguly feels India need his leadership and if he was in Rohit's position, he would've played the game as there's still plenty of time for him to reach Australia.
"I hope Rohit goes soon as the team needs leadership. I heard his wife delivered a baby boy, so I am sure he can leave (for Australia) as soon as possible. If I was in his position, he should be playing the 1st Test. It's a big series and the match is still a week away. He will not go to Australia after this. He's a fantastic captain. India needs his leadership," Ganguly told RevSportz in an interview.
Rohit's return could be a major boost for India, especially with several reports claiming that young batter Shubman Gill is also set to miss the 1st Test, having fractured his thumb during the intra-squad practice match.
Gill, a regular number-three batter for India in Tests over the past year, was in contention for the opening spot alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, in case Rohit opts out of the game.
This could become crucial if skipper Rohit Sharma, who announced the birth of his second child with wife Ritika on Saturday, is unavailable for the first Test. It is yet to be confirmed whether Rohit will travel to Perth and participate in the match.
Meanwhile, KL Rahul, another experienced opening option for India, left the field on day one of the simulation match after being struck on the elbow by a short delivery. He did not return for the remainder of the day and was absent from action on Saturday as well.
Bengal batter Abhimanyu Easwaran, who had a disappointing India A-Australia A series with scores of 0, 7, 17, and 12, remains another potential candidate for the opening role.
During the simulation match, Gill scored 28 in his first innings before being caught at gully off Navdeep Saini's delivery. He later returned to the crease and remained unbeaten on 42*. The young batter will look to emulate Cheteshwar Pujara's role, who was known for wearing down Australian bowlers with his solid defence.
(With ANI Inputs)