India could miss skipper Rohit Sharma for one Test in Australia
New Delhi, Oct 10: India could miss the services of skipper Rohit Sharma during one of the first two Test matches in Australia due to personal reasons which have communicated to the BCCI.
The Indian team will embark on tough five-Test series in Australia starting November 22 in Perth and there is a possibility that Rohit could give either the first or the second game in Adelaide (December 6-10) a miss.
"There isn't any complete clarity about the situation. It is understood that Rohit has intimated to the BCCI that there is a possibility that due to a pressing personal matter, he might have to skip one of the two Tests at the beginning of the series," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
"In case, the personal issue is sorted before the start of the series, he might play all five Tests. We will get to know more in coming days," he said.
The 37-year-old Rohit played both the home Tests against Bangladesh. India will next host New Zealand for a three-Test rubber starting October 16.
In case Rohit misses a Test match in Australia, the in-form Abhimanyu Easwaran is likely to be his cover although Shubman Gill and KL Rahul are also players with enough experience in the opening slot.
Easwaran will also be in Australia with the India A team which he is supposed to lead.
However, there is no word who the vice-captain of the Test team will be as there was no official deputy for Rohit during the recent home series against Bangladesh.
"I think we need to understand that we have got a lot of IPL captains in this team. When you talk about the likes of Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, hopefully a Yashasvi (Jaiswal) going forward.
"There are a lot of players who have led their franchises," Abhishek Nayar told the media on the eve of the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur.
There are three candidates for the role -- Rohit's white ball deputy Gill, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who has led India in a Test in England, and keeper-batter Rishabh Pant.
"I wouldn't look at them as youngsters anymore. Yes, they are youngsters in terms of age and the amount of cricket they have played. But, I think overall, mentally and in their development as a cricketer, I think they have the leadership qualities that are required. You don't need to have a vice-captain that should be designated," Nayar had stated when asked about the red-ball vice-captaincy.
"I think overall, the thought process of these youngsters is of a senior player. It's of someone who has played a lot of cricket."
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Rupee starts 2026 on negative note; falls 11 paise to 89.99/ USD in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): The rupee started the new year on a negative note and depreciated 11 paise to 89.99 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday weighed down by persistent foreign fund outflows.
Forex traders said the rupee entered 2026 with both challenges and cushions, while global uncertainty persists, India’s strong macroeconomic parameters and ample forex reserves provide stability.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 89.94 against the US dollar, then lost some ground and touched 89.99, registering a fall of 11 paise over its previous close.
On Wednesday, the last trading session of 2025, the rupee settled at 89.88 against the US dollar.
"While the calendar has changed, volatility is likely to persist. Under Governor Sanjay Malhotra, the RBI appears comfortable allowing the rupee to adjust with market forces, while remaining actively present to smooth excessive moves and maintain orderly conditions," CR Forex Advisors MD Amit Pabari said.
Progress on the paused India–US trade deal remains a key upside risk and could deliver a meaningful confidence boost if concluded, Pabari said. "For now, USD/INR is expected to trade in the 89.30–90.20 range in the near term," he said, adding that a sustained break below 89.30 could open the path toward 88.50.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.09 per cent higher at 98.32.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading lower by 0.78 per cent at USD 60.85 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex was trading 194.38 points higher at 85,414.98, while the Nifty was up 47.55 points at 26,177.15.
Foreign Institutional Investors offloaded equities worth Rs 3,597.38 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.
