Rohit Sharma appointed India's Vice-Captain for remaining two Tests, will replace Pujara

Two days after joining the Indian squad in Melbourne, Rohit Sharma has been appointed as the Vice-Captain for the remaining two Tests in the Border Gavaskar Trophy series, the BCCI confirmed on Friday morning. The swashbuckling opener will assume the role of Ajinkya Rahane's deputy taking over the duties from Cheteshwar Pujara. The decision also means that Rohit Sharma is set to feature in the playing XI for the third Test at the SCG. 

The board has also included T Natarajan into the squad to replace Umesh Yadav, who has been ruled out of the series. Yadav had sustained an injury in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test at MCG and has been sent to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for rehab. 

"The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named T Natarajan as Yadav’s replacement. Ahead of the Boxing Day Test, Shardul Thakur was added to the Test squad as Mohd. Shami's replacement after the senior fast bowler suffered a hairline fracture in his right forearm. Both Shami and Umesh Yadav will head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further rehabilitation of their injuries," the BCCI said in a press release on Friday. 

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SCG gets nod to host 3rd Test 

Clearing the cloud of doubt over the occasion for the third Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, Cricket Australia has confirmed that the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) will host the third Test of the series, as per the schedule. The rising number of COVID-19 cases had cast a doubt on the SCG playing the host for the annual pink Test, putting the national cricket board on high alert. However, officials have affirmed that the COVID-19 threat has subsided enough allowing the match at the SCG to proceed as per schedule. 

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The sudden rise in COVID-19 cases in Sydney had forced CA officials to prepare the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to host back-to-back matches after the end of the Boxing Day Test. However, interim CA CEO Nick Hockley has stated that the board has received a go-ahead from the NSW government. 

India level series at the MCG 

Staging a gutsy comeback in the second Test after the Adelaide rout, the touring Indian party without several key players defeated the Australians by 8 wickets to level the Test series 1-1 on Tuesday. The Indian bowlers worked in tandem to bundle the Aussies out for just 200 in their second innings as the batsmen just had to chase a paltry total of 70 which they did in style.

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