SPORTS

The Indian squad including their support staff will be travelling to Sydney together on January 4, contrary to reports which claimed that the 5 players who are under investigation for alleged breach of the bio-bubble will be kept in isolation in Melbourne.

Vice-captain Rohit Sharma, fast bowler Navdeep Saini, openers Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant were placed in isolation on Saturday after a video surfaced showing them eating inside a Melbourne restaurant on New Year's Day.

The Australian and Indian cricket boards are investigating the alleged breach of biosecurity protocols with precedent suggesting the players might be fined for their actions but they won't be staying back in Melbourne.

Veteran opener Rohit Sharma, who joined the rest of his teammates in Melbourne on Wednesday, has hit the nets with New Year 2021. Sharma, who travelled to Australia after weeks of rehab at the NCA in Bengaluru, was in a 14-day hard quarantine which he spent in a 2-bedroom apartment in Sydney.

Rohit Sharma, on Wednesday, received a warm welcome from his teammates and the support staff as he walked into the team hotel in Melbourne. The star batsman has now finally started training outdoors and, as seen in the video posted by ICC, has hit the nets.

In the video, Sharma looks to be in good touch and that could be a huge positive for Team India who have currently levelled the series 1-1 against Australia.

Joining the Indian team after completing his mandatory 14-day quarantine, star batsman Rohit Sharma on Thursday went through his first practice session in Australia under the watchful eyes of batting coach Vikram Rathour.

The prolific opener is expected to play the third Test in Sydney from January 7.

"The engine is just getting started and here is a quick glimpse of what lies ahead. #TeamIndia #AUSvIND," BCCI tweeted with two pictures of the batsman.

Australian batsman Steve Smith, who was also recently named ICC’s Men’s Test Cricketer of the Decade, talked about his struggles against India in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series. 

Ravichandran Ashwin has been toying with the Aussie and is preventing him to score runs for the hosts. Smith has scored only 10 runs in 4 innings in the series so far while being dismissed by Ashwin two times.

“I probably haven’t played Ashwin as well as I would’ve liked. I probably would’ve liked to have put him under a bit more pressure,” Smith told SEN Radio.

“I’ve sort of let him dictate terms and that’s something I’ve probably never let any spinner do in my career. I’ve sort of taken it to them, been a bit more aggressive and made them change things,” he said.

India youngster Shubman Gill made his debut in the Boxing Day Test against Australia and has already made quite a mark in his very first match.

He went on to score 45 in his very first innings, which is the third-highest score by an Indian debutant in Australia, and was unbeaten on 35 in the second innings as India went on to win the Boxing Day Test by 8 wickets.

Many former cricketers such as Australia pace legend Glenn McGrath and former India pacer Ajit Agarkar have praised the batsman for his talent.

On Tuesday, former Australia batsman Michael Hussey heaped praise on Gill and said that his talent is such that he can go on to play for India for the next 10 years.