Rohit Sharma clears fitness test, to leave for Australia

The senior batsman is expected to be available for selection for the final two Tests

Rohit Sharma, who has missed defending champion Mumbai Indians’ last two games in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after sustaining an injury, has been omitted from the squads for India’s tour to Australia. File

Having passed his mandatory fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, Rohit Sharma is set to leave for Australia in a couple of days and join India’s squad for the last two Tests.

The BCCI had said last month that Rohit’s fitness would be assessed on December 11. However, it is learnt that Rohit, who had injured his hamstring during the IPL, cleared all the mandatory fitness drills on Thursday evening under the watchful eyes of the NCA medical staff, with NCA head of cricket Rahul Dravid and chief selector Sunil Joshi in attendance.

A BCCI official, on condition of anonymity, confirmed to

The Hindu that since he has proven his fitness, Rohit is expected to be available for selection for the third Test, scheduled in Sydney from January 7. Having returned to Mumbai late on Thursday, Rohit will now travel to Australia via Dubai and serve the requisite 14-day ‘hard’ quarantine.

It is still not clear whether the senior batsman, who was unavailable for the Test series in New Zealand earlier this year, will fly to Melbourne or Sydney. In any case, the earliest he can resume training Down Under will be December 29.