Rohit Sharma withdraws from India's net session after being hit on thumb ahead of WTC final vs Australia

On Tuesday, India captain Rohit Sharma was struck on his thumb during the net session, a day before the WTC final against Australia.

Team India on Tuesday suffered an injury scare a day before the start of the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval as captain Rohit Sharma was struck on his thumb during the net session. He immediately left the net session thereafter as a precautionary measure.

India's Rohit Sharma during practice (Action Images via Reuters)

It was during the optional net session for the Indian team at the Kennington Oval on Tuesday when Rohit got hit on the left thumb while taking throwdowns.

Although he did withdraw from training any further after what seemed only a minor injury, the 36-year-old had later attended the pre-match press conference as well.

The WTC final will be Rohit's biggest test in his career as a Test captain, a role he was handed over by the selectors after Virat Kohli ad relinquished it in January 2022. Rohit has since led India in six matches, albeit all at home. He was expected to be part of that rescheduled Test in England last year, but missed out on the opportunity owing to Covid-19 and had later missed the Test series in Bangladesh as well owing to a thumb injury.

If Rohit does start the game on Tuesday, it will be Rohit's only seventh appearance in England despite having made his debut in the format in 2013. But England will surely bring back some fond memories of the 2021 tour when he had made an impressive impact as a Test opener en route to hitting a century at The Oval - a ravishing 127 - which remains his only hundred outside the sub-continent.

Rohit would also be aiming for his maiden ICC trophy as a skipper after missing the opportunity in the 2022 T20 World Cup where India had suffered a semi-final exit.

"Test cricket is the ultimate format, most challenging format and it will mean everything for us to win it," Rohit said in the pre-match press conference. "I want to take this Indian team forward and win 1-2 ICC titles."