Rohit Sharma mysteriously withdrew from speaking at an official function with the Australian Prime Minister on New Year’s Day.
It comes amid wide speculation that there is unrest in the Indian team’s dressing room, just days away from their final Test against Australia in Sydney.
The home side have taken a 2-1 lead in the series outclassing India on day five of the Boxing Day Test to seal a 184-run victory.
Tensions have been bubbling throughout the Border-Gavaskar series, with Virat Kohli having been at the centre of two controversial moments last week.
The ex-India captain had clashed with reporters outside of a Melbourne airport upon arriving in Victoria before Kohli was fined 20 per cent of his match fee for a shoulder bump on Sam Konstas.
Meanwhile, Australia have also been branded ‘cheaters’ by some India fans following a controversial third umpire review on Sunday that saw Yashasvi Jaiswal be dismissed, despite snicko showing no spike when a delivery seemed to bounce over his glove.
Rohit Sharma (centre) met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albenese (right) on Wednesday
The Indian cricket teamw were invited to mee the Aussie Politician Kirribilli House in Sydney
Australia also attended the event, with Pat Cummins and Sharma reportedly set to make a speech at the meeting
On Wednesday, Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon had invited both teams as guests of honour to a New Year’s Day function at Kirribilli House overlooking Sydney Harbour.
Both teams attended and posed for photographs together while Kohli also stopped for a snap with Konstas’ brothers.
The Daily Telegraph states that Sharma was supposed to speak at the event, but in a late twist Gautam Gambhir instead stepped up to make an address.
Sharma was still there to lead his players and had presented the Australian Prime Minister with a gift.
The India captain has endured a tough series, with some calling for him to be dropped.
He has made double figrures just once during the series, having scored a total of 31 runs across five innings.
But according to The Indian Express, a split is starting to emerge in the Indian dressing room, as scrutiny mounts over their indifferent form.
Gambhir had issued a stern spray to his side after they lost seven wickets in 20.4 overs on Monday.
He is understood to have told his players ‘I’ve had enough’, according to the outlet.
Questions have emerged that a divide might be emerging in the Indian dressing room, with Virat Kohli (centre) also having struggled for form
Sharma has endured a poor series so far, scoring 31 runs across five innings
Australia took a 2-1 lead in the series after they sealed a 184-run victory against India
Questions are beginning to mount over Sharma’s captaincy credentials, and his place in the side
They add that his speech had related to players attempting to do their own thing instead of playing for the team and according to the situation.
Sources close to the team have said that the atmosphere in the dressing room has not been ideal with some tension unfolding in the camp.
Adding to that, Ravichandran Ashwin’s surprise decision in the middle of the series raised some eyebrows, with players rarely ever hanging up their bat mid-way through such an important schedule of matches.
Questions have also been asked of Kohli’s form too, with the batter hitting a century in Perth but has failed to back that up with another big score.
With some, including Fox Cricket commentator Mark Waugh, arguing that he and Sharma now need to step aside to let younger players come through, one Aussie great believes that the Indian captain should be left to walk out on his own terms.
‘The numbers are interesting. It happens with several players,’ Michael Clarke told ESPN.
‘For some people, captaincy helps; for others, it doesn’t. I certainly feel he will play in Sydney.
‘They won’t drop him. I think Rohit has earned the right to walk on his own terms, and he is the captain, and when you are leading the side, you get a bit of leeway.
‘The numbers don’t read great. I’m not sure if Sydney will be his last. I’m not sure what he is thinking Test cricket-wise, nor do I know how he feels captaincy-wise,” he said.
