IND vs AUS : Rohit Sharma Visibly 'Dejected' After Opting Out Of 5th Test In Sydney- Pic Goes VIRAL

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IND vs AUS, 5th Test: Rohit Sharma's exclusion from the Indian playing XI for the New Year's Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground comes as a response to his continued struggles with form in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

After managing just 31 runs in three matches, his performance has been a significant disappointment for a batter of his caliber.

Jasprit Bumrah, who led India to a historic 295-run victory in the opening Test at Perth Stadium, has resumed captaincy for this match.

At the toss, Bumrah mentioned that Rohit had "opted to rest himself", a decision that likely stems from a combination of his own acknowledgment of poor form and the team management's strategy to optimize performance.

After both the teams took the field to play, a visibly dejected Rohit Sharma was sitting in the Indian dressing room.

Of course, it is the worst possible feeling, when you are not playing for your team and amid all the controversies going around, the 37-year-old's face gives a testament to it.

Here's a look at the pic that has gone viral on the social space.

As per reports, Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of the Indian cricket team, was approached by an influential cricket administrator with a special request. The administrator, a respected figure within the BCCI, reportedly asked Gambhir to allow Rohit Sharma to play the Sydney Test. The idea behind this request was to provide Rohit an opportunity to make a farewell appearance in Test cricket, potentially marking the end of his career in the format.

However, Gambhir rejected the plea, prioritizing the team's performance and chances in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. By excluding Rohit, who has been struggling with poor form in the ongoing series, Gambhir aimed to field the best possible XI to maximize India's chances of securing a win in Sydney.

Speaking of the match, India won the toss and opted to bat. Early on, the visitors lost their openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal in quick succession now it's down to Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli to take the game forward. At the time of writing this article, India were batting at 42/2.