New dad Rohit to miss India’s final test in Sydney

Tuesday, 1 January 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

MUMBAI (Reuters): India batsman Rohit Sharma left Australia on Sunday after his wife had a baby girl and will miss the fourth and final test starting on Thursday in Sydney, the country’s cricket board said.

India’s Rohit Sharma plays a shot and is caught out by England's Mark Wood - Reuters

“The BCCI congratulates Rohit on the beginning of a new chapter in his life,” the board said in a statement on Monday.

“Rohit will miss the fourth and the final test against Australia at Sydney. There will be no replacement player in the test squad.”

The 31-year-old will return to Australia to join India’s one-day international squad on January 8 ahead of their three-match series, the BCCI added.

Rohit missed the second test against Australia in Perth with an injury but returned to the side for the third in Melbourne, which India won by 137 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the four-match series.

He scored an unbeaten 63 in India’s first innings of 443-7 declared.