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Here’s a look at India’s likely playing XI for the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which will be played at Optus Stadium in Perth from November 22 to 26.
India’s likely playing XI for 1st Test against Australia. (Picture Credit: AFP)
The Indian men’s cricket team is in Australia these days to take part in a five-match Test series. The series opener is set to take place at Optus Stadium in Perth from November 22 onwards. Ahead of the first Test of the 2024-25 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Indian team is dealing with multiple issues.
Captain Rohit Sharma is yet to arrive in Australia, and there are question marks over his participation in the match. If that was not enough, then on Saturday (November 16), it has been reported that star batter Shubman Gill has injured his thumb, which will rule him out of the Perth Test.
In the absence of Gill and Rohit, KL Rahul is expected to open the innings along with Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is India’s highest-ranked batter in Tests. Indian team management and fans will have high hopes from Jaiswal, who scored 712 runs in five Tests against England earlier this year. Abhimanyu Easwaran is also part of India’s 18-member squad and is a specialist top-order batter, but he is unlikely to get a chance.
Virat Kohli batted at No. 3 for India in the first Test against New Zealand last month and scored 70 runs in the second inning. In the absence of Gill, he can once again step up and take the responsibility to bat at 3. If Kohli moves up, then Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan will be the favourite to take the No. 4 position. The 27-year-old right-handed batter from Mumbai scored 150 runs for India as No. 4 batter in the Bengaluru Test against the Kiwis.
Rishabh Pant will be India’s wicketkeeper-batter, but Dhruv Jurel, after his two half-centuries in the second unofficial Test, could also get a chance as a specialist batter. Jurel last played a Test match for India in March 2024 against England.
It will be interesting to see who out of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar gets a chance to play as a spin-bowling all-rounder. It is highly unlikely that India will play two of them. Going by the current form, Sundar is the favorite, but due to his experience and 10-wicket show in the last Test against New Zealand, Jadeja is likely to get the chance.
Andhra all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who is included in India’s Test squad for the first time in his career, is likely to make his debut in Perth as he can be the fourth fast bowling option for the visitors, and his inclusion will add depth to the batting unit as well.
Jasprit Burmah and Mohammed Siraj are certain to be picked in the XI, and there will be a fight for the third pacer option between Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, and Harshit Rana. However, due to his recent performances, Bengal pacer Akash Deep is expected to get preference.
India’s likely playing XI for the 1st Test against Australia: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah (C).
