Kohli unhappy over lack of clarity on Rohit injury

Virat Kohli

The absence of clarity on Rohit Sharma's injury took a fresh turn when none other than Virat Kohli himself expressed his displeasure over the handling of the issue by concerned authorities.

A visibly unhappy Indian skipper lamented the "lack of clarity" and "confusion" about the availability of his limited-overs deputy that has left the team "playing the waiting game" which was not an "ideal situation."

Kohli also made a serious charge that the team, which thought Rohit would be travelling along with it to Australia from the UAE for the Test series, was kept under dark about his return to India.

The Indian opening batsman was initially left out of all three Australia-bound squads before he was included for the Test series subject to clearing fitness tests. Rohit is recuperating from a hamstring injury at NCA in Bengaluru but he is more or less ruled out of the first two Tests along with paceman Ishant Sharma.

“Before we had the selection meeting (for the tour of Australia) in Dubai, we got a mail that said he is unavailable for selection because of the injury he picked up during the IPL," Kohli said on the eve of the first ODI against Australia.

"It mentioned the requirement of two-week rest and rehab. The pros and cons and the implications of the injury had been explained to him and he understood them,” Kohli said in a virtual press conference while answering a pointed question that if, as a leader of the team, he needed more clarity on the status of his limited-over deputy.

After missing four league IPL games, Rohit surprised everyone by hitting the ‘nets’ on the same day when the selection committee left him out of Australia tour. He subsequently played in the last three Mumbai Indians' games, including the final, leaving everyone in confusion about his injury.

“He played in the IPL so we thought he will be on the flight to Australia but he wasn’t there," Kohli emphasised. "We had no information on the reason why he wasn’t travelling with us. After that, the only other information we have received is that he is at the NCA and he will be further assessed on December 11. From the time of IPL finishing and the email that came about NCA, there has been no information. There is a lack of clarity. We have been playing the waiting game on this issue for a while now and it isn’t ideal at all. It’s very confusing,” Kohli said.

Rohit and Ishant, who injured his rib cage during the IPL, are now doubtful for the Tests as well. The National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru issued a report on Tuesday that the duo will need three-four weeks to recover. Hard quarantine rule in Australia means they might not be able to make it for the remaining two as well.

Kohli said the duo should have travelled with the team to Australia right after the IPL. “Someone like Saha (Wriddhiman), who also suffered an injury in the IPL, is doing his rehab with the team. We are aware of his progress and we can make sure he is fit and available to play in the Tests. The same would have been the case with Ishant and Rohit as well. It would have given them a chance to get themselves fit by the start of the Test series. Right now there is so much uncertainty on whether they are going to be able to make it or not”, he reasoned.