With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia on the horizon, head coach Gautam Gambhir has outlined the team’s contingency plans in case captain Rohit Sharma is unavailable for the opening Test.
“If Rohit is not available for the first Test match, we have KL Rahul. We will make a decision closer to the first match,” Gambhir said during a press conference. He emphasized the importance of every series and expressed the readiness of the Indian team to face Australia.
“When you play for your country, every series is important. Regardless of the past, for us, it’s two strong teams playing against each other, and we’re keen to go out there, perform, and win the series,” he said.
Highlighting KL Rahul’s versatility, Gambhir added, “There are times you rely on experienced players. He can bat at the top, in the middle order, and at No. 6. He can keep wicket and do the job if Rohit is not available for the first Test.” This flexibility makes Rahul a valuable asset for the team, capable of adapting to various roles as needed.
Regarding Rohit’s availability, Gambhir provided an update but kept the final decision open, saying, “There is no confirmation yet. We’ll let you know. Hopefully, he’ll be available. You’ll get all updates by the start of the series.”
Gambhir’s remarks set the tone for the series, with the Indian team focused on putting forth a strong performance regardless of the challenges they might face. Following India’s recent disappointing series against New Zealand on home soil, the road to the World Test Championship (WTC) final has become more challenging. India needs to win the series by 4-0 to secure a spot in London for the WTC final for the third successive time.
After the series opener in Perth, the second Test, a day-night match, will take place under lights at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10. Fans will then turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test from December 14 to 18. The traditional Boxing Day Test, scheduled from December 26 to 30 at Melbourne’s iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, will be the series’ penultimate stage. The fifth and final Test will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, promising an exciting climax to a highly anticipated series.
India’s squad for the Border-Gavaskar Series: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.
Australia’s squad for the first Test: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.