India vs Australia: Rohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma must board the flight in 2-3 days

New Delhi : Team India head coach Ravi Shastri on Sunday said that Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma must board the flight in 2-3 days if they have to play in the upcoming test series. The four-match Test series will commence from December 17.

However, BCCI has not officially announced when will Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma leave for Australia. The duo is currently undergoing rehabilitation in the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. Rohit (left hamstring) and Ishant (side strain) suffered injuries during recently concluded Indian Premier League.

Amid mandatory 14-day quarantine in Australia, it is likely that Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma may miss the warmup match against Australia A, at Drummoyne Oval from December 6-8, if they don’t depart by Monday.

"He (Rohit) was never going to play the white-ball series, they were just looking to see how long he needed the rest because you can’t afford to be resting for too long," Shastri told ABC Sport. 

"If you need to play in the Test series or any red-ball cricket, you’ve got to be on the flight in the next three or four days. If you aren’t, then it’s going to be tough."

Shastri said that NCA’s medical team is currently assessing how long would be Rohit’s break from the game.

"But things could get difficult if he’s asked to wait for too long, (because) then you’re talking of the quarantine again, which might make it really tough for even him to come just in time for the Test series," the head coach added.