Sharjah, Oct 27 (UNI) Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has called for more transparency on the status of limited-overs' vice-captain Rohit Sharma's hamstring injury, who was left out of the India squad for the upcoming tour of Australia.
The BCCI senior national selection committee led by former India spinner Sunil Joshi while announcing the three teams for the Australia tour on Monday, did not explain much on Rohit’s hamstring injury.
Rohit has missed the last two IPL 2020 league games for Mumbai Indians due to a hamstring injury and the BCCI in a statement said that its medical team will continue to monitor his progress.
However, soon after BCCI's announcement, the Mumbai Indians Twitter handle shared a video of Rohit, where he was seen practicing in the nets and hitting sixes at will.
Gavaskar expressed surprise over the visuals and demanded more transparency on the injury status of the Mumbai Indians captain.
'We are talking about the Test matches, which are a month and a half way. What actually is the problem with him will help everybody. And if he is practising in the nets for Mumbai Indians, then honestly I don’t know what kind of injury it is,' Gavasakar told Star Sports after the game between Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday.
'I think a little bit of transparency, a little bit of openness about what actually is the problem with him will help everybody.
The Indian cricket fan deserves to know, more than anything else. The franchisees, I understand. They don’t want to give their hand away. They don’t want to give the oppositions any psychological advantage,' he added.
Notably, Mayank Agarwal, who is also suffering a hamstring injury, is part of of all the three squads.
'But we are talking about the Indian team here. Even Mayank Agarwal for example. For an Indian cricket fan, they ought to know what happens to two of their key players,? Gavaskar said.
In the absence of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul was named vice-captain in the T20I and ODI squad. Mayank Agarwal has found a place in both the ODI and the T20I squads.
The 18-member Test squad also didn't include Ishant Sharma, who had suffered an abdominal injury whilst playing for Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2020 and was later ruled of the tournament.
The tour of Australia comprises three T20 Internationals, as many ODIs and four Tests. India players are all set to leave to Australia from the UAE a day after the IPL 2020 final.
The limited-overs series is expected to start from November 27 while the 4-Test series is likely to start from December 17 in Adelaide. However, Cricket Australia is yet to confirm the schedule for the much-anticipated tour.
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