Rohit Sharma and Navdeep Saini RULED OUT of 2nd Test vs Bangladesh in Mirpur

KL Rahul will continue to lead the side in the absence of Rohit Sharma in the second Test vs Bangladesh, which begins in Mirpur on Thursday (December 22).

Team India captain Rohit Sharma and pace bowler Navdeep Saini have been ruled out of the second Test against Bangladesh beginning at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Thursday (December 22). KL Rahul will now continue to lead the side in the absence of Rohit after setting up Team India’s 188-run win over Bangladesh in the first Test at Chattogram.

“Rohit Sharma is under the care of the BCCI Medical Team following his left thumb injury, which he sustained during the 2nd ODI against Bangladesh in Dhaka,” BCCI media release stated on Tuesday (December 20).

“The Medical Team is of the opinion that the injury needs some more time to heal completely before the Indian captain can bat and field with full intensity. He will continue his rehab and will not be available for the second and final Test against Bangladesh,” the statement added.

Navdeep Saini is also ruled out of the second Test owing to an abdominal muscle strain. The fast bowler will now report to the NCA for further management of his injury.

Apart from Navdeep Saini, the likes of Mohammed Shami has already been ruled out of the Test series. The Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer had played for India ‘A’ against Bangladesh earlier this month but was not picked for the first Test against Bangladesh.

Indian skipper Rohit suffered a blow to his thumb while trying to take a catch in the slips in the second ODI, following which the BCCI medical team assessed him and rushed him to Mumbai for treatment on December 7. He has been undergoing treatment in the city since.

Rohit’s absence means that young opener Shubman Gill, who scored his maiden Test century in the first Test at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium against Bangladesh, will continue to open the innings with stand-in skipper KL Rahul.

India’s updated squad for 2nd Test against Bangladesh: KL Rahul (C), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Saurabh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat