As reported by Timesofindia.com on the eve of the Sydney Test, India captain Rohit Sharma was dropped from the playing eleven for the series-decider against Australia, which began on Friday.
Rohit, who had scored just 31 runs in five innings of this Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) was replaced by Shubman Gill, while KL Rahul returned to the opening slot alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. But what surprised former India batter turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar was the fact that the official reason for Rohit's exclusion was not discussed during the chat with India's stand-in captain, Jasprit Bumrah, at the toss.
But contrary to Manjrekar's view, stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah did speak about it at the toss. "Our skipper has opted to rest. It shows the unity we have," the fast bowler said.
However, Manjrekar said it was "mysterious" of former India coach Ravi Shastri, who conducted the toss, to not ask about the situation around Rohit.
"Very mysterious from Ravi," Manjrekar said on Star Sports. "I was amazed. I don't understand this cloak and dagger thing in Indian cricket. This is the issue with Indian cricket culture. We are just secretive in our operation. Rohit Sharma is someone who has played 62 Test matches.
"We have to share with the fans who have made cricket the great game that it is in India. When they see Bumrah walking out (for the toss), the first thought in their minds is what happened to Rohit Sharma? Has he opted out? Has he been dropped? I was amazed that at the toss he (Bumrah) wasn't asked. I have done the toss a few times. That would have been the first question after asking him what are you doing (decision to bat or bowl)."
The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
Read MoreThe TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide.
From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more.
The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics.
We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects.
We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.