SYDNEY: The fifth Test between India and Australia ended on Sunday and the visitors are now scrambling for tickets to head home after spending close to two months Down Under. They were originally scheduled to fly out on January 8 but with the match ending early, some players could leave early and it depends on when the tickets become available. Some of the senior members are slated to fly out on Monday itself.
“The logistics manager is working it out for the team and as and when the tickets are available, the departures will begin,” said a source close to developments.
It means they will not leave together as not everyone will be heading to the same destination. Majority of the squad members flew into Australia in the second week of November in different batches and Virat Kohli was the first player to land on Australian soil on November 10.
The side had a match simulation in Perth which was followed by the series opener, warm-up in Canberra, second Test in Adelaide, third game in Brisbane, fourth in Melbourne and then the final match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. A total of 7700-plus kilometres spent scurrying across the continent. After winning the opener, India didn’t manage to post a win as they lost three and drew the game in Brisbane.
During the eventful series, R Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket and left home from Brisbane and Rohit Sharma, who missed the first game due to birth of his second child, didn’t play the last encounter. Jasprit Bumrah led India in his absence as Rohit’s tour ended with miserable returns – 31 runs in five innings.
India, however, were dealt a severe blow as Bumrah didn’t bowl in the second innings due to a back spasm. The stand-in captain was the most successful bowler of the series with 32 wickets and India missed him dearly during the modest defence on the spiciest wicket of the series.
The medical team is closely monitoring him and the word from the Indian camp is that it’s just a back spasm and he didn’t feel comfortable to bowl on what turned out to be the final day of the series.