Rohit Sharma missing from the team sheet and the national anthem

Rohit SharmaIndia’s regular Test captain, was nowhere to be seen at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) during the national anthem. Fans were left baffled as his name did not appear in the team sheet for the crucial fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The incident has since sparked a whirlwind of reactions online.

Bumrah leads as Rohit opts to rest

India’s clash with Australia at SCG is no ordinary Test. It’s a do-or-die game for Team India as they chase a place in the World Test Championship final. Surprisingly, Rohit Sharma decided to sit this one out, handing over the reins to Jasprit Bumrah.

Bumrah, speaking at the toss, exuded confidence. “We are looking to bat first. We have played some good cricket of late. The last match was exciting. The grass does not look threatening. We have learned to accept challenges and we will fight hard today.”

India’s playing XI saw two changes. Shubman Gill replaced Rohit Sharma, while Prasidh Krishna replaced the injured Akash Deep.

Rohit Sharma’s National Anthem Snub Fuels Speculation

While resting a player is common, Rohit’s absence during the national anthem was not. Traditionally, even non-playing team members hang out with the team. Rohit’s decision to stay behind raised eyebrows and quickly became a hot topic on social media.

Renowned cricket journalist Bharat Sundaresan weighed in on the matter. “Rohit Sharma is not out of the squad and his name is out of the list. Perhaps a different take on “choosing to rest,” he posted on X.

Rohit Sharma hasn’t stepped out with the rest of the squad & his name no longer appears in the squad list either. A different meaning to “opted to rest” perhaps #AusvInd pic.twitter.com/yRb203Rmni

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) January 2, 2025

Tensions rose further when Rohit’s name did not appear in the team sheet signed by head coach Gautam Gambhir. Dhruv Jurel and Devdutt Padikkal’s names had been added instead of Rohit’s. This means that Rohit Sharma will not feature in the SCG Test, not even as an extra fielder.

The cryptic tone of Sundaresan’s comment only fueled the speculation. Fans debated whether there was more to Rohit’s absence than meets the eye.

For India, this SCG Test is nothing but critical. A win keeps their hopes alive for the World Trials Championship final. A defeat or a draw, however, would end their journey.

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