Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma ruled out of first two Tests

"They will decide on when he could be back, but things could get hard if we have to wait for too long (speaking about the 14-day quarantine in Australia)".

To be in contention for the third Test, Ishant will have to board a plane nearly immediately. Like I said, if anyone has to play in the Test series, he has to be on the flight in the next four or five days.

Besides, Rohit can be cleared to travel only in the second week of December and will need two weeks of further rehabilitation, after which a final assessment can be made. Both players weren't named in the initial squad (for the tour to Australia) and are understood to be under the observation of BCCI's medical panel. In 54 first-class games, Iyer has aggregated 4592 runs at an average of 52.18.

To be in contention for the third Test, Ishant, who has regained bowling fitness but needs four weeks of workload to be ready for the rigours of Test-match play, will have to board a plane nearly immediately. If he's going to play red-ball cricket in the build-up for the Tests (as with Ishant), they need to be on the flight within the next 4-5 days. Fast bowler Ishant, had suffered an abdominal tear while playing for Delhi Capitals - ruling him out of the entire tournament.

"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 source said.

He was closely monitored by the chairman of selectors, Sunil Joshi, and the NCA chief, Rahul Dravid, among others. Rohit and Ishant have been the frontrunners in all recent Indian successes in the red-ball format of the game and are now undergoing rehabilitation for their respective injuries at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, Rohit also has been sweating it out to prove his fitness.

The second and final warm-up game, at the SCG from 11-13 December, will be a day-nighter before the first Test commences in Adelaide from 17 December. He revealed his hamstring issue is fine and that he was constantly in touch with the BCCI.

Besides, they have also factored in the 14-day quarantine in Australia, which pertains to full confinement. Moreover, both Rohit and Ishant will not be allowed to train while being in quarantine like the rest of their teammates are now doing. According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, neither he nor pacer Ishant Sharma have achieved satisfactory level of fitness to be allowed to join the team in Australia.

However, the same privilege may not be given to the duo.