After more than a decade’s time, India will play a Test match without two of its specialist batters in Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. Both of them were snubbed from the Sri Lanka Tests following a stretch of poor form and lack of runs.
India skipper Rohit Sharma, who begins his captaincy tenure with the first Test in Mohali, addressed a virtual press conference on Thursday and said Pujara and Rahane will remain in the team’s ‘future plans’.
“What Pujara, Rahane have done for this team you cannot put it out in words. All the years of hard work, overseas victories, India’s No.1 ranking – these guys have played their part. They will be a part of our future plans,” Rohit said at the presser.
The newly-appointed Indian captain didn’t give out the names of the players who are going to replace Rahane and Pujara in the line-up but said they have done extremely well whenever given an opportunity.
At the age of 34, Rohit Sharma will lead the Indian team in Test cricket. He will be the 35th cricketer to captain the side in the longest format of the game. When asked about his strategy, he said, “My philosophy of captaincy will remain the same -staying in the present, understanding the situation and what is the right call to make at that moment.”
