Jasprit Bumrah To Captain, Big Debut Expected In 1st Australia Test - Report Makes Huge Claims

Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma will not play in the first Test match against Australia starting November 22 and Jasprit Bumrah will serve as captain in his absence, according to a report by Indian Express. The report claimed that Rohit has already informed the BCCI that he will be spending more time with wife Ritika Sajdeh following the birth of their second child. While Bumrah will be captaining the team in the first Test, Rohit is expected to be back for the second match in Adelaide. 

“We were hoping that he (Rohit) will travel but he has informed the BCCI that he can't go now as he needs some more time. He will be flying to Australia for the pink-ball Test match, the second match, in Adelaide. There is a nine-day gap between the first and second Test matches, so Rohit will be able to be there on time,” a BCCI official told Indian Express.

The report further claimed that all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is likely to receive his maiden Test cap in the first match in Perth. The team management is looking to play him as a fourth seam option and with the pitch expected to provide some extra bounce, he is being considered as the perfect fit.

While the India squad does have pacers like Akash Deep, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna, Reddy is the only fast-bowling all-rounder in the India squad for the Test series against Australia.

 In what comes as welcome news for India in their build-up to the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test starting on November 22, KL Rahul returned to batting during the team's training session at the WACA Stadium on Sunday.

During India's intra-squad match simulation on Friday, Rahul retired hurt on 29 after taking a blow to his right elbow by a climbing delivery from tall pacer Prasidh Krishna,