Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has confirmed that speedster Jasprit Bumrah will lead the Indian team if regular captain Rohit Sharma is unavailable for the first Test of the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia as well. The opening match is slated to begin on November 22 in Perth.

“Bumrah is vice-captain; if Rohit is not available, he is going to lead in Perth,” Gambhir stated during a pre-departure press conference in Mumbai. Rohit Sharma, while not currently with the squad, has not been officially ruled out of the series opener, according to Gambhir. “At the moment, there is no confirmation but we will let you know exactly what the situation will be. Hopefully he’s going to be available, but everything we’re going to get to know at the start of the series,” Gautam Gambhir said at a press conference before the team’s departure to Australia.

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Meanwhile, Team India’s squad is departing for Australia in two separate batches, with the first group having left on November 10 and the second one to depart today as well. Gambhir has added the importance of contingency planning in case Rohit Sharma is unavailable, claiming that both Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul are in the squad and ready to step up as opening options as well.

“Obviously there is [Abhimanyu] Easwaran and there is [KL [Rahul] there. So we will take a call closer to the first Test match if Rohit is not available,” Gautam Gambhir said. “There are options there, it’s not that there are no options there. There are quite a few options in the squad.”