Indian captain Rohit Sharma was spotted at Mumbai’s International Airport on November 23 as he departed to join the national squad in Australia for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The 37-year-old skipper had delayed his travel to remain in India for the birth of his second child.
Sharma was accompanied by his wife, Ritika Sajdeh, who came to see him off at the airport. At the departure gate, the Indian skipper graciously posed for photos and signed autographs for fans, who wished him luck for the high-stakes series.
He is expected to arrive in Perth on November 24, coinciding with Day 3 of the first Test at the Optus Stadium. Sharma will resume his captaincy duties from the second Test, scheduled to take place at Adelaide Oval from December 6-10.
Before diving back into Test cricket, Sharma is set to participate in a warm-up game—a day-night match between India A and the Prime Minister’s XI at Manuka Oval, Canberra, from November 30 to December 1.
This practice fixture will help the skipper regain his rhythm ahead of the second Test.
The Indian team’s journey to Australia was initially divided into three contingents between November 9 and 11. However, Sharma adjusted his schedule after the birth of his son on November 15, a change smoothly managed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). T
he interim captain, Jasprit Bumrah, shared that he maintained regular communication with Sharma during this period.
“I spoke with Rohit earlier, and I got more clarity on leading the side once I arrived here,” Bumrah mentioned during a press conference ahead of the Perth Test.
Under Bumrah’s leadership, India has started the Border-Gavaskar Trophy strongly. At the end of Day 2 of the first Test, India had built a commanding 218-run lead, thanks to a stellar opening partnership between KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal.