India captain Rohit Sharma took to Instagram on Saturday, November 16, to announce the birth of his baby boy.
The child was born on November 15 at a local hospital, which is why Rohit had not traveled to Australia with the rest of the squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, set to begin on November 22.
Rohit shared a heartwarming post inspired by the iconic sitcom Friends, titling it “The One Where We Are Four.”
The announcement drew widespread congratulations, including a sweet comment from Bollywood actor and producer Anushka Sharma, wife of Virat Kohli.
Anushka expressed her joy with three heart emojis, sparking an outpouring of likes and reactions from fans on social media.
Although Rohit had earlier informed the BCCI of his unavailability for the first Test, he had hinted at reconsidering closer to the date. However, with one week since his son’s birth, reports suggest that Rohit is unlikely to travel in time for the series opener in Perth.
In his absence, Jasprit Bumrah is expected to lead the team. The Indian squad has been undergoing rigorous practice sessions in Australia, with mixed updates on player availability.
KL Rahul, who sustained a minor elbow injury during training, returned to action on November 17. However, Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the first Test after fracturing a finger on his right hand.
With Gill sidelined, Devdutt Padikkal has been asked to stay with the Indian squad. While Padikkal has shown good form in practice, his chances of playing the first Test remain slim, with KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran likely to take priority in the batting lineup.
The first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will kick off on November 22 at the WACA Stadium in Perth, with India looking to start the series strong despite the absence of their skipper.