Rohit Sharma prepares for BGT 2024-25 in Mumbai as HUGE update arrives on his Australia departure

India captain Rohit Sharma is utilizing his time well to prepare for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Rohit is currently doing match practice in his hometown Mumbai and is working hard for the upcoming Test series in Australia.

While the whole team has already left for Australia for the five-match Test series, Rohit Sharma is currently in India to be with his wife for the birth of his second child. He will only take a call on his departure after his second child is born.

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Rohit Sharma prepares for BGT 2024-25 in Mumbai

Rohit Sharma is sweating it out at the Reliance Corporate Park (RCP). According to a report in TOI, Rohit wants to utilize his time as much as he can before departing for Australia. The 37-year-old wants to be fully prepared whenever he lands in Australia.

Rohit is using the RCP and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) facilities to train ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. While all the other Indian players have hit the nets at the WACA ground in Perth, Rohit doesn't want to remain behind and aims to be in good touch whenever he plays.

"There is no clarity yet on his departure. It all depends on how things unfold on the personal front. He is doing what any father would at this stage, which is to stay with his wife and family. But at the same time, he is ensuring to be well-tuned for the Test series and will be batting at every possible opportunity in Mumbai," a source was quoted as saying by TOI.

Who will open in the absence of Rohit Sharma?

Rohit Sharma's unavailability could be a cause of concern for India. India will not only miss Rohit the captain but also his experience at the top. Despite not having a great record Down Under, Rohit is one of the top openers in Test cricket.

The 37-year-old has the ability to play a long innings which makes him so crucial for India. In his absence, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah will take over the role of captaincy.

In his absence, Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul are the options to open the batting alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. Easwaran is yet to make his international debut while Rahul moved down to the middle order earlier this year but Rohit's absence has opened up another chance for him at the top.

Indian players train at WACA

Meanwhile, Indian players departed for Perth in a couple of batches. Players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, and Akash Deep flew with the assistant coach Abhishek Nayar on November 10.

The remaining players and the coaching staff, along with the head coach Gautam Gambhir, departed on November 11. Senior batter Virat Kohli was the first amongst the Indian players to reach Perth.

India have already started training at the iconic WACA stadium and will do a match simulation with India A players. With less preparation time ahead of the series, the team management decided to do a match simulation rather than play a warm-up match.