Gambhir answered several questions, including the availability of Rohit Sharma in the first Test, who is about to become a father for the second time and might miss the match. He said that a decision on Rohit’s availability would be taken soon. If Rohit doesn’t play, Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul can be backup options.
On Rohit Sharma’s availability for the Perth Test
The first question in Gambhir’s press conference was about Rohit Sharma’s availability for the Perth Test. Gambhir said that there is no confirmation yet on whether Rohit will play or not. He added that the answer would be known before the series starts. He also mentioned that if Rohit doesn’t play, Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul can be backup options.
On Rohit and Kohli’s form
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli struggled with form during the home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. Gambhir said that there is no concern about their form. They have performed exceptionally well in the past and have been doing well in practice. The dressing room is full of confidence.
On the WTC final
When asked about the World Test Championship final, Gambhir said that they are not looking at the points table. They are focusing on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and want to win it. Preparation is key, and the next 10 days are crucial.
Indian Team
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Jasprit Bumrah (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (Wicket-Keeper), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (Wicket-Keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.
Australian Team for the first Test
Patt Cummins (Captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.