Captain Rohit may sit out of Sydney Test in dramatic Team India twist

On the eve of one of Team India's most important match in years, out-of-form skipper Rohit Sharma is likely to opt out of the fifth Test in favour of Shubman Gill, a move that may spell the end of his career in the game's longest and purest format.

- Ashish Magotra

The next five days at the Sydney Cricket Ground will reveal much about the merits of this decision, and offer pointers about a generational shift in Indian cricket. A win for India—it seems a bridge too far going into the match, but stranger things have happened in cricket—will help them level the series 2-2 and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, keeping alive an outside chance of qualifying for the World Test Championship final.

A loss will possibly throw Indian cricket into a tailspin, raising questions not just about the senior players who are falling well short of expectations but also coach Gautam Gambhir's dismal run at the helm.

On Thursday, people aware of the matter said that Rohit conveyed to Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar that he will most likely not play the Test, making way for Gill to be included in the team. Gill was dropped in Melbourne as the 37-year-old Rohit moved to the top of the order. Expectedly, Jasprit Bumrah-who took India to victory at Perth-is all set to take over as captain.