Gautam Gambhir turned down the request to include Rohit Sharma in the playing XI, prioritizing India's victory in the Sydney Test and their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship final.

In a video posted on his X account, Mohammad Kaif said that Rohit Sharma is no ordinary captain who can be rested or dropped. Hence dropping him from such a crucial game was a completely wrong decision by Gautam Gambhir and the selectors.

Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma made the decision to opt out of the 5th and final Test against Australia. Stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah chose to bat first at SCG on Friday, leading to India making two changes in the team lineup. Shubman Gill replaced Rohit Sharma, while Prasidh Krishan took the place of the injured Akash Deep.