NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer and ex-selector Jatin Paranjape has backed Team India to secure a hat-trick of Test series wins in Australia. Paranjape believes that under the leadership of 2024 T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma, India will continue their dominance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and defeat Australia for the third consecutive time on their home turf.
The highly anticipated five-match blockbuster Test series between the two cricketing giants is set to kick off in November. India previously won back-to-back Test series in Australia, first under the captaincy of Virat Kohli in 2018–19, and then under Ajinkya Rahane in 2020–21.
The five Tests will be held in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, with India also scheduled to play a two-day match against the Prime Minister’s XI at Manuka Oval in Canberra.
In an exclusive conversation with TimesofIndia.com, Paranjape, who played four ODIs for India in 1998 under Mohammad Azharuddin’s captaincy, shared his thoughts on the Border-Gavaskar series, Mohammed Shami’s fitness, pace sensation Mayank Yadav, and much more.
Do you think India can secure a hat-trick of Border-Gavaskar Trophy wins this time?
I have a feeling the scoreline will be 3-2 India or 4-1 India. If nobody gets injured, this will be the result. India will definitely win the series.
There’s a lot of discussion around Shami and his injury. If he’s unfit or unable to travel with the team, who do you think should replace him?
If he is not fit, Siraj will obviously become the second fast bowler behind Bumrah. The third bowler spot will go to Akash Deep if Shami is unavailable. I think India will take five fast bowlers on this tour, and those will be Bumrah, Shami, Siraj, Akash Deep, and Mukesh Kumar. They will also take Arshdeep and one or two other fast bowlers as backups.
Essentially, they will have a squad of 16, plus a backup squad of six or seven players who will travel with the team in case of injuries. If Shami is fit—and I think he will be—I’d be tempted to play Akash Deep ahead of Mohammed Siraj, purely based on current form.
As a former selector, what’s your opinion on Sarfaraz Khan’s exclusion from the Test XI against Bangladesh, especially after his impressive performance in Dharamsala?
There is nothing unfair about Sarfaraz’s situation. He was playing because someone else was injured. The competition for batting spots is so intense that, unfortunately, someone will always miss out. But for the guy who misses out, what can he do? He can just keep scoring runs, and Sarfaraz has been doing that in the Irani Cup. He needs to stay in good form, maintain his fitness, and his chances will come. I feel he might also be taken to Australia as a reserve player. But it’s just one of those things—you can only play eleven players, and the best eleven get selected. It’s not that he isn’t good enough; it’s just that there’s a lot of competition for those spots right now.
Who do you see as India’s third opener in Test matches?
Shubman Gill is probably a good choice for the third opener because he can bat at number three and also open the innings. However, I’d also consider KL Rahul for the third opener role, depending on the situation. Everyone is scoring runs—Easwaran is doing well too. There’s also a dark horse that nobody is talking about: Prithvi Shaw. This domestic season will be crucial for Shaw. If he has a strong season, he’ll be in the race. I think Prithvi Shaw is the most talented player in the country, but there’s tough competition, and whoever is in the best form at the time will get picked.
Some former cricketers believe Mayank Yadav should be handled with care. What are your thoughts on his workload management and his potential as a future star?
We should take it step by step with Mayank Yadav. First, let’s not consider him for any red-ball cricket just yet. Playing a 20-over game is about bowling four overs, while playing a red-ball game requires bowling four spells in a day. It’s a different mindset altogether. Let him play first-class cricket for the next year or two, but we can already consider him for T20Is, where he only needs to bowl four overs.
The talk about ‘wrapping him in cotton wool’ is exaggerated. I think bowlers need to bowl to improve—they don’t get better by just working out in the gym. They improve by bowling, even a lot in the nets. The focus shouldn’t be on protecting him but on making him stronger physiologically. The BCCI is already working on his strength and conditioning, and that will make him a better prospect for the country.
Australia haven’t played much Test cricket recently. Do you think they’ll be at a disadvantage against India?
No, no. Both teams will be on the front foot. They’ll be like boxers going for a knockout—both Australia and India will be aggressive throughout the five Test matches. Pat Cummins’ Australia won’t be on the back foot, and neither will be Rohit Sharma’s India. It’s going to be a fascinating series to watch.
On your association with ISPL, how exciting is the concept?
This is my second year. Praveen Amre and I are helping with the talent scouting part of it. The strength of the league is directly proportional to the strength of the teams. I find it very interesting, and it’s amazing to see the amount of passion for the game in the country. The interest among kids is absolutely nuts.
