"You don't have the strength" - Aakash Chopra doesn't think Rohit Sharma will play the 5th India vs England Test
Aakash Chopra doesn't see Rohit Sharma playing the fifth and final Test against England, starting at Edgbaston in Birmingham on July 1.
Rohit tested positive for COVID-19 during Team India's practice match against Leicestershire. The Indian skipper has returned another positive test subsequently and is in a race against time to be available for the series-deciding encounter.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra was pessimistic about Rohit's chances of playing the Edgbaston Test. He reasoned:
"I don't think you will see Rohit Sharma playing because I was positive two or three months back, at the start of the IPL. You don't have the strength. Let alone negative or positive, you need to have the ability to play."
The former Indian opener feels Rahul Dravid's hopes of seeing Rohit back on the park for the final Test are unlikely to be realized. Chopra observed:
"COVID makes you slightly empty from inside for those many days. That is another problem. So I feel Rohit Sharma is not playing, whatever Rahul Dravid might have said, and Jasprit Bumrah will be doing the captaincy."
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Dravid mentioned at the press conference that Rohit has not yet been ruled out of the Edgbaston Test. Jasprit Bumrah will take over the Indian captaincy if his Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper is unable to recover in time.
"KL Rahul not being there was in itself a huge blow" - Aakash Chopra on Rohit Sharma's likely unavailability
Aakash Chopra pointed out that KL Rahul's absence was already a huge setback for Team India. He said:
"How far does this news push India back? KL Rahul not being there was in itself a huge blow because it was the Rahul and Rohit pair only in 2021. We said it's okay if Rahul is not there, at least Rohit is there but now Rohit is also not there."
The reputed commentator added that Rohit's likely unavailability will leave Team India in dire straits. Chopra explained:
"You will be going with two new openers now, you don't an idea who will be your openers and you have a new captain. So a lot of problems and examinations have come together. I feel from whichever angle you see, India is in deep trouble, no doubt about that."
However, Aakash Chopra concluded by stating that the duo's absence does not mean that India cannot win or compete. He pointed out that Team India have bounced back strongly whenever they have their backs against the wall.