India’s new ODI captain Rohit Sharma on Saturday said that Ishan Kishan will open alongside him in the first ODI against the West Indies since the youngster is the only available option for the team with late entrant Mayank Agarwal serving mandatory quarantine period.
Kishan was drafted into the ODI squad after Shikhar Dhawan and Ruturaj Gaikwad tested positive for COVID-19 and are now in isolation.
“Ishan Kishan is the only option we have and he will open with me,” Rohit said on the eve of the series-opener.
“Mayank was added to the squad and he is still in isolation. He came (joined) late and we have some rules in place. If someone is travelling, we have to put them in (mandatory 3-day) quarantine. He has still not finished his quarantine, so Ishan will open the innings.
“Unless there’s an injury as we have a training today and there is nothing of that sort,” he added.
Rohit also made it clear that the COVID positive trio of Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer and Gaikwad are still in isolation and they are still not sure when they would be available.
“I have no idea,” Rohit said when asked when the trio would be available.
“At the moment the three guys are in isolation. They are doing pretty well and that’s a good thing. But yeah, it’s so uncertain. Last minute, you will see any one turning positive and you have to make a change and get someone else,” Rohit said.
The skipper understands that a situation like this can disturb the balance of the team.
“Look, it is a tricky one (situation). With Covid, there is so much uncertainty and if it happens, how long it takes for recovery is different as every individual is different. Sometimes, it takes 7-8 days and sometimes, it can take 14 days,” he said.
In COVID times, one might have to play in a position which isn’t exactly his preferred one, said the captain, who expects his players to be flexible.
“But these are times that we live and boys in the team understand that. Opportunity can come at any point and they have to be ready for it. But for the team, they have to do it and this is something that we have spoken at length and made it clear with everyone that this is the possible situation,” the skipper added.
“It can happen at anytime in these situations. So anyone coming in place of anyone should try and adapt quickly and get the game going on,” he made it clear.