NEW DELHI: With Rohit Sharma set to miss the first Test against Australia, India would miss not just their captain but also the opener for a solid start at the top of the order that would be so crucial in the high-stakes Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
Rohit Sharma has informed the BCCI that he needed more time with his wife after the birth of their second child.
Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Pace spearhead and vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah will captain India in the absence of Rohit.
Bumrah had previously captained India in the rescheduled 2022 Test against England at Edgbaston, a match they lost by 7 wickets.
But that leaves one question still unanswered: Who will partner Yashasvi Jaiswal as opener when the first Test gets underway in Perth from Friday.
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India do have a couple of options for the opening slot.
The first and the most likely option is KL Rahul.
Rahul may be going through a lean patch currently, but in Australia he had scored a hundred and that too as an opener.
Rahul had scored 110 in the drawn Test in Sydney in January 2015 and has the experience, technique and temperament to tackle the new ball.
Even India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir had hinted at the possibility of Rahul opening the innings considering his experience.
The Indian think tank may also consider Abhimanyu Easwaran for the role.
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Easwaran has been picked as the reserve opener for the Australia tour, but his recent form has been underwhelming, with scores of 7, 12, 0, and 17 in four outings against Australia A.
It is a possibility that Dhruv Jurel would be included in the Indian playing XI but he will most likely bat in the middle order.
Jurel has been in top form, scoring fifties in both innings of the second unofficial Test, and also has the experience opening the batting for Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy.
As reported by TimesofiIndia.com, Devdutt Paddikal will be added to the 18-member squad in Rohit’s place for the first Test match at the Opus Stadium in Perth.
It’s worth noting that Rohit Sharma is expected to return for the second Test, so the opening combination for the first Test might just be a temporary solution.
