Rohit Sharma has cleared his fitness assessment at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and is expected to fly out to Australia - he is currently in Mumbai - in the "next day or two". The final decision on his travel will be taken by the BCCI, but ESPNcricinfo understands that he will be available, barring unforeseen developments, for India's third and fourth Tests in Australia after finishing the mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

There had been confusion around Sharma's status - and availability for the Australia Tests - over the past few weeks, with even captain Virat Kohli saying that he had been kept in the dark on the subject. Sharma had initially been left out of India's tour because of the hamstring injury he picked up during the IPL, with the BCCI saying he would be "monitored". Sharma sat out four matches for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL after picking up the injury, but returned - after being left out of the squads for the Australia tour - to lead his team to the title. He was subsequently named in the squad for the last two Tests, subject to how his rehabilitation at NCA went.

He is fit to travel now, but it is unclear what the protocols for Sharma's integration into India's bio-secure bubble in Australia are. While there is the question on whether he will come out match ready after a 14-day quarantine, the eight-day gap between the second and third Tests - which begins on January 7 - is understood to have encouraged the management to have the senior batsman in the mix.

More to follow…