Rohit Sharma is likely to opt out of the Indian cricket team’s upcoming Test series against England due to his dismal run of form in red-ball cricket, according to India Today. The report claimed that sources have confirmed that the Indian cricket team captain has already taken the decision. The sources added that Virat Kohli is most likely to retain his place in the squad. Rohit scored just 31 runs in 3 matches during the Test series against Australia and he even dropped himself for the final game in Sydney.

Meanwhile, some of India’s frontline players are likely to be part of the ‘A’ squad which will face the Lions in two four-day matches during the May-June window in preparation for the Test series.

India will begin their 45-day trip to England with the first Test at Headingley on June 20, as they will attempt to win the first away series at the Old Blighty since 2007.

“The first four-day match will be hosted at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence in Canterbury from May 30. The second match is scheduled to begin a week later on June 6 at the County Ground in Northampton,” the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement.

All the prominent Indian cricketers are contracted with their respective IPL franchises at the moment as the league’s knockouts will be played on May 20, 21 23 before the final on May 25.

It gives the selectors good enough time to announce the India A squad ahead of the trip to England, and as things stand now, Karun Nair could be on the flight.

Karun has been quite impressive in the 2024-25 domestic season, emerging as the leading run-getter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and the fourth highest run-maker in the Ranji Trophy with 863 runs from nine matches at an average of 54 with four hundreds and two fifties.

His rich vein of form helped Vidarbha beat Kerala in the final to clinch their third Ranji title.

“There is enough time to announce the squad, mostly ahead of the knockouts or just after those matches. You will then get a clear picture as to which players are available by then,” a source close to the development told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

(With PTI inputs)