Cricket News : Who will lead team India if Rohit Sharma becomes unavailable for Edgbaston Test?

India will be facing England at Edgbastonin Birminghamfor the final Test match of the series. In England, India last triumphed in a series in 2007. After the fifth Test in 2021 was postponed due to spike in Covid-19 cases in the Indian camp, India now has a 2-1 series advantage.

The Test has been moved from Old Trafford, where it was originally scheduled, to Birmingham, where India has never won a match. While there are a lot of things at risk in this game for both England and India. And the Men in Blue might possibly be without their skipper Rohit Sharma. 

After testing positive for Covid-19 again on Wednesday morning, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma is racing against time to be eligible for the Edgbaston Test.Before the Indian team management makes a final determination regarding Rohit's availability for the Test, which begins on Friday as he will undergo two further tests.

However, Jasprit Bumrah will lead the team if Rohit is unable to play in the Test.The UK authorities advised that Rohit serve the five-day isolation after testing positive on the second day of the exhibition game in Leicester last week.

The sixth day had come and gone, but Rohit was not present for India's training session.

head coach Rahul Dravid said

Rohit is being monitored by our medical team, he is not yet been ruled out,
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Dravid further added

Obviously, he needs to get the negative test to be available. So, we will keep monitoring that, we've still got close to 36 hours to go.He will have a test later tonight and maybe one tomorrow morning as well. And then we'll see.Obviously, he'll have to come out of that, and it's really up to the medical team and sports science team to decide on that. We haven't had a chance to see him, since he is in isolation. But we will keep monitoring the situation.

Although the BCCI has not provided an official update on who will take over as India's captain in the event that Rohit is unable to participate in the Test.But it is believed that Bumrah will do so as KL Rahul, who was selected as Rohit's assistant was unable to play earlier this month, therefore India did not designate a vice-captain.Bumrah had stated at a news conference prior to the Sri Lanka series that he would never shy away if given the chance to lead India.Bumrah has remarked, It is something that I don't go looking for, but if given the opportunity at any circumstance, it would be an honour.

Bumrah had stated that despite his lack of captaincy experience, he was still confident in his ability to carry out the tasks.

The Indian paceman said

Whatever role is asked of me, I would do it with the best ability. You are always a leader when you are a senior member of the team, so it's just a post that comes with you. Basically, you try to help all the people in whatever capacity you can. Even in Mumbai Indians, you have got a lot of senior players but now I am one of the senior players as well, so you help the captain, you help everyone, you play the leadership role even when you are not asked to.

Bumrah would be the eighth person to lead India since 2021 if he decides to leave the field for the toss on Friday. Even though Dravid acknowledged that situation was not ideal, he believed the players and coaching staff were prepared to meet the task.