India A opener likely to be called up as cover for Rohit Sharma for Bangladesh Tests

India suffered a major injury setback during the second of three ODIs against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Wednesday, December 7, with skipper Rohit Sharma copping a blow on his thumb early into the game.

Rohit injured his thumb while attempting a catch in the slips early in the Bangladesh innings, and was sent to a hospital and the subsequent X-ray reports confirmed no fracture, as he would confirm later. He walked in to bat at No.9 with stitches on his hand, and stroked an unbeaten 51 off 28, but India fell five runs short in their 272-run chase despite the heroic effort.

As per reports, Abhimanyu Easwaran, the India A opener, is likely to be called up as a cover for Rohit for the two-match Test series following the third ODI.

"Abhimanyu Easwaran has scored back to back hundreds in ongoing A Test series and is an opener. In all likelihood, he will join the squad in Chattogram after finishing his second A Test in Sylhet," a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Easwaran, who is currently playing as an opener in the two-match series between India A and Bangladesh A, scored 142 in the first game in Cox’s Bazar, and followed that up with 157 with an innings to go in the ongoing second match in Sylhet.

While it has been confirmed that Rohit will miss the third ODI in Chattogram on Saturday, there is no clarity as yet on his availability for the two Tests.

"Rohit will certainly miss the next game, fly back to Bombay, consult with an expert and see how it is and whether he can come back for the Test matches or not," head coach Rahul Dravid said on Wednesday. "I'm not sure. It's too soon to say that (he'll be fit for the Tests or not).1’

The first of two Tests will be played in Chattogram from December 14. The series is a part of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, wherein India are still in hunt for a top-two finish, and are currently placed fourth.