Will Rohit play 5th Test versus England: Is Rohit Sharma available for next match vs England at Edgbaston?

Will Rohit play 5th Test versus England: Team India head coach Rahul Dravid provided an update on Rohit Sharma’s availability.

After wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul was ruled out a few days ago from team India’s tour of England, they have now been handed another massive blow as skipper Rohit Sharma has yet again returned with a positive COVID-19 test result for the second time on Wednesday morning.

For those unaware, team India’s present all-format skipper had also tested positive on ‘Day 2’ of the recently concluded warm-up match against Leicestershire, after scoring 25 (47) on the first day.

With two back-to-back COVID-19 positive reports, the clouds have become dark as ever regarding his availability for the fifth and final rescheduled Test match of the Pataudi Trophy series against England, which is set to begin from July 1, at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground, in Birmingham.

Will Rohit play 5th Test versus England

Addressing the media via a virtual press conference on Wednesday evening, team India head coach Rahul Dravid provided the fans with an update on Rohit’s availability for the Test match starting the upcoming Friday.

“So the update on Rohit is that he is being monitored by our medical team, he is not yet been ruled out. Obviously, he needs to get the negative test to be available. We will keep monitoring him, we have still got close to 36 hours to go so he will have a test later tonight and one maybe tomorrow morning as well. We will see, it is really up to the medical team and sports science team to decide on that. We will keep monitoring.”

Rahul Dravid:

Rohit Sharma is being monitored by our medical team. He is not yet ruled out. Obviously he needs to come with negative report. But we still have a couple of days.#ENGvIND

— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) June 29, 2022

As per the recommendations by the UK government, Rohit Sharma had been currently undergoing a five-day isolation since testing positive, with the fifth day ending today (Wednesday).

As per EspnCricinfo, the skipper will undergo two further tests – one Wednesday evening and the other on Thursday, after which a final call on his availability for the Test starting Friday would be taken.

Goes without saying, he would have to return with negative COVID-19 results on both these occasions.