Sachin Tendulkar says Rohit Sharma should be in Australia 'if he meets all the parameters'

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar has said that Rohit Sharma should be in Australia for the upcoming four-match Test series that gets underway on December 17 if he passes all his fitness tests. The 'Hitman' was ruled out of the ongoing limited-overs series Down Under after having sustained a hamstring injury while fielding during a Dream11 IPL 2020 league game. He went to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for rehabilitation. 

Meanwhile, in Rohit's absence, KL Rahul was India's vice-captain for the white-ball leg of this gruelling tour.

'He should be there': Sachin Tendulkar

"I do not know the status of Rohit's fitness. That is something BCCI and Rohit know, they are in touch with each other and so are the physios and team management. They would be the ideal ones to answer this. If Rohit passes all his fitness Tests and is cleared, then a player like Rohit should be there in Australia. If he meets all the parameters then he should be there," said Tendulkar while speaking to ANI.

'Rohit Sharma to be assessed on December 11': BCCI

A couple of weeks ago, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) finally broke its silence on Rohit's inclusion in the Border-Gavaskar trophy, informing that the star batsman undergoing his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy following which he will be assessed. Providing an update on Rohit Sharma's fitness, the BCCI revealed that the Indian limited-overs vice-captain will be next assessed on December 11.

The apex body also stated that Rohit Sharma's inclusion in the Border-Gavaskar trophy will be determined only after the fitness assessments. Furthermore, the national cricket board also added that the Mumbai skipper had to travel back to Mumbai after the IPL to attend to his ailing father and that he has now received clearance to travel to the NCA to begin his rehabilitation. 

READ: BCCI Breaks Silence On Rohit Sharma, Provides Update On His Inclusion For Australia Tour

Can Team India do the unthinkable?

India have their task cut out once regular skipper Kohli leaves the Australian tour midway as they will have to play out of their skins in order to retain the iconic Border-Gavaskar Trophy that they had won a couple of years back on Australian soil by beating a depleted Australian side. Their star players Steve Smith and David Warner were handed a 12-month suspension from international cricket for their involvement in the infamous ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in March 2018. 

The odds are even this time as the Aussies will be fielding a full-strength squad that consists of Warner, Smith, Marnus Labuchagne, etc. The Tim-Paine led Australians are currently the top-ranked Test side and are also at the summit of the ICC World Test Championship.

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