Rohit to Miss the First Test Against Australia as He Welcomes His Newborn Son

Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma has welcomed his second child, a son, with wife Ritika. The couple, who already has a daughter named Samaira, are now celebrating the arrival of their second child. Media reports confirm that Ritika gave birth on November 15, though there has been no official confirmation from the family or their management team yet.

Rohit, who was expected to join the Indian team in Australia for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, is currently in India with his family. The Indian team, already in Australia, will play a five-match Test series starting on November 22, but Rohit decided to stay back due to the arrival of his second child.

There is still uncertainty over whether Rohit will participate in the first Test match against Australia in Perth. His absence from the initial matches has raised questions, as he has not yet joined the squad. While the team has not officially confirmed his availability, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir mentioned that it would be decided closer to the match. Gambhir stated that there was no concrete information about whether Rohit would be available for the first Test and that updates would be shared once the series begins.

Despite not traveling with the team, Rohit has been preparing for the series in Mumbai. Recently, a video surfaced of Rohit practicing in the nets, showing his commitment to staying in form for the Test series.

However, Rohit has been struggling with his form recently. In the three-match Test series against New Zealand, he had a tough time with the bat. So far in 2024, he has scored 588 runs in 11 Tests at an average of 29.40, with two centuries and as many half-centuries. His domestic season was also disappointing, scoring just 133 runs in five matches at an average of 13.30.