Former captain Sourav Ganguly has opined on Rohit Sharma’s availability for the first Test against Australia. The veteran hasn’t travelled with the Indian due to the birth of his son. Rohit and Ritika Sajdeh were blessed with their second child on Friday, and the skipper is training in Mumbai.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has not given an update on Rohit’s return to the team. Ganguly feels India need their leader in Australia, and Rohit can leave as soon as possible.

“I hope Rohit Sharma goes very soon as the team needs his leadership. His wife delivered a baby boy on Friday, and there is still a lot of time left before the first Test. If I was in his position, I should have played the first Test.

“It is a big series, and he will not go to Australia after this tour. Rohit is a fantastic captain, and India need his leadership from the start,” Sourav Ganguly told Boria Mazumder.

Ganguly also shed light on appointing Rohit as India”s captain.

“I didn’t want to make him a Test captain, and he was leading in white-ball formats. The workload management issue was there, but I don’t believe in this term. I told him not to retire before becoming Test captain, and I am not surprised by what he has achieved,” he added.