Rohit Sharma is not travelling with the rest of the Indian squad to Australia. His participation in the Perth Test hangs in the balance.

Rohit Sharmas non-departure means the India captain is effectively out of contention for the first Test. Jasprit Bumrah looks set to lead the Indian team down under in the very important match.

A pressing question that has been on everyone's minds is whether India's captain, Rohit Sharma, will be taking the field in the first Test.

India must start planning for Rohit Sharma's successor if the team do not play well in their five-test series in Australia as the captain could well retire from the longest format, former skipper Krishnamachari Srikkanth has said.

Rohit Sharma's unavailability for IND vs AUS 1st Test in Perth has been cited as "personal reasons," but it is widely speculated that the Indian captain is expecting the arrival of his second child.

Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma might miss the first Test against Australia in Perth due to personal reasons. Expecting his second child soon, Sharma will not travel with the team initially but could join later.

Australian great Ricky Ponting has backed pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah to step up as India captain in Rohit Sharma's absence against Australia.