Test specialist Ishant Sharma and batsman Rohit Sharma have a small window of opportunity to be ready for the upcoming Test series against Australia.
India, who are undergoing a two-week quarantine in Sydney, are hoping to have senior batsman Rohit and veteran Ishant for the four-Test series that begins on December 17.
Rohit, who led Mumbai Indians to their fifth Indian Premier League title on November 10, has a hamstring injury and will miss the limited-overs matches which start on November 27 with the first of three ODIs. Ishant is recovering from a muscle tear. Both are currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
Even if the pair are able to board a flight within the next few days, then the strict 14-day quarantine rules would make it difficult for them to play the first Test.
The situation looks particularly difficult for pacer Ishant. Even if he travels to Australia now and completes the two-week isolation, Ishant will need at least three to four weeks of workload management to be able to considered for Test cricket. Then, it would be a race against time to be ready for the third Test which starts on January 7.
"If there is a T20 game and he needs to just bowl four overs, Ishant is good to go immediately, but for him to get back to Test-match fitness, he needs four weeks of proper bowling still," a BCCI official told ESPNcricinfo.
Despite the fitness concerns, India coach Ravi Shastri believes his team's fast-bowling attack can reign supreme during the Test series.
India pacers, led by Jasprit Bumrah, will be up against a powerful home batting line-up that includes David Warner and Steve Smith.
But Shastri said even without veteran pacer Ishant, India still have the best pace attack in the world.
"His [Ishant's] absence does make a difference to the fast-bowling department, but then we have the capacity among the young bowlers to deliver," Shastri told the Sportstar magazine.
Shastri called Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Navdeep Saini the 'fabulous five' who can make life difficult for the hosts.
"Yadav has the experience. Saini is young and fast. Bumrah one of the best in business. Shami is raring to go. Siraj is an exciting prospect.
"You put up runs on the board and watch these fast bowlers hunt the opposition. They can beat Australia in their own den."
India have other pacers to fall back on. Their contingent includes Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur and T Natarajan, who are in the white-ball squads, and two reserve pacers in Kartik Tyagi and Ishan Porel.
Last week Australia overtook India at the top of the inaugural world Test championship when the scoring system was amended due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Virat Kohli's men enjoyed a historic first Test series win Down Under on their last tour in 2018/19.
Shastri is confident his team can stay focused on and off the pitch during the tour, which requires travel bubbles and isolation because of the pandemic.
"You have to back your self-belief and take the field with a fearless attitude," said the former India all-rounder.
"We are prepared and let me remind you that never has cricket, or a cricket team, faced such a situation since the Second World War.
"We are going through the drills of staying mentally tough and approaching the series by taking one step at a time."
Virat Kohli will lead the side in three ODIs, three Twenty20s and the opening Test – a day-night game in Adelaide – before taking on paternity leave and returning home.
