India coach is cautious about selecting captain Rohit Sharma

India head coach Gautam Gambhir was cautious when asked whether Rohit Sharma, the Test team captain, would play in the fifth and final Test match against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Australia leads the series 2-1 after an impressive 184-run win in the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but India has a chance to level the series should they win in Sydney.

However, their captain’s form is a matter of concern as Rohit averaged just 10.93 in his last nine Test matches and just 6.2 in this series. He scored 3 and 9 points in Melbourne and was sent off both times by his opponent Pat Cummins.

Gambhir, meanwhile, was frosty from the start of his pre-match press conference, saying: “The head coach is here, that should be enough” when asked why Rohit didn’t address the media too.

India’s captain had also skipped the press conference ahead of the third Test in Brisbane but Shubman Gill was present in his place on that occasion. In Sydney, Gambhir spoke to the media alone, increasing speculation about Rohit’s future in the team.

“Everything is fine with Rohit,” Gambhir told reporters, adding that “we will look at the wicket tomorrow and finalize it (the team lineup)” when asked if Rohit would play.

Rohit himself is well aware of his faltering form but feels it won’t be long before things fall into place. After the third Test in Brisbane, he said: “As long as my mind, body and feet are moving well, I’m pretty happy with how things are turning out for me.”

“Sometimes you can tell by these numbers that it’s been a while since he’s had big success. But for a person like me, I think all that matters is how I feel inside.”

But after the defeat in Melbourne, the Indian team captain admitted that he was feeling the mental toll of such an intense series. He said: “Even as a batsman, I try not to get into the position I would like to do a lot of things, but mentally it’s worrying, no doubt.”

Australia are also doubts with Mitchell Starc making a late appearance to see if he can overcome a rib injury from the last game in Melbourne. The fifth Test begins on January 3, 2025 in Sydney