Former India head coach Ravi Shastri revealed that he would have backed Rohit Sharma’s inclusion for the decisive Test in Sydney during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year, even amid the opener’s poor run of form. At the time, India trailed the four-match series 2-1.

"That was a 30-40 run game. And that's exactly what I told him. The pitch was so spicy in Sydney. Whatever kind of form he was in, he's a match-winner," said Shastri.