Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma arrived in Dharamshala on Tuesday for the fifth Test of the ongoing series against England. After attending the pre-wedding ceremony of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in Jamnagar last week, Sharma returned to join the team for the final Test, scheduled to commence on Thursday.
Sharma was spotted deboarding a helicopter and heading to his car before leaving the area. The upcoming Test is considered a dead rubber since India already holds an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series. However, in the context of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25, every match contributes to the WTC points table, impacting the teams' standings.
Currently, India leads the WTC table with five wins, two losses, and a draw in eight games, boasting a percentage of 64.58. In contrast, England is positioned eighth with three wins, five losses, and a draw.
For the Dharamshala Test, Jasprit Bumrah will return to the squad as Rohit Sharma's deputy. Unfortunately, KL Rahul has been ruled out due to an ongoing injury. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal emerges as the top scorer in the series, accumulating an impressive 655 runs in the right innings at an average of 93.57. Jaiswal is on the verge of breaking the record for the most runs scored in a bilateral series in India.
On the bowling front, England's left-arm orthodox spinner Tom Hartley leads as the top wicket-taker with 20 wickets in eight innings, maintaining an average of 33.45. The upcoming Test provides both teams with an opportunity to add crucial points to their WTC tally and potentially improve their standings in the championship.
