The Australia vs India A series came to an end on Saturday (November 9). How has the precursor to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy affected selection for the series?
Australia A followed up a seven-wicket victory in the first unofficial Test with a six-wicket victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, chasing down 168 in the fourth innings with relative ease despite a shaky start. Here's how the two-match series might have affected the various selection decisions lying in front of both teams for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India's opening headache continues
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma is a doubt for the opening Australia-India Test due to personal reasons, meaning India will have liked one of their openers in the A series to put their hand up. Abhimanyu Easwaran had been thought of as the favourite, given his centuries in four consecutive matches before arriving in Australia.
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But with scores of 7, 12, 0 and 17, his chances have likely taken a big hit. Ruturaj Gaikwad, opening in the first match, scored 0 & 5 before KL Rahul replaced him in the second match, only to score 4 & 10. Sai Sudharsan (103) and Devdutt Padikkal (88) impressed in the second innings of the first match, but neither one appears close to making the Indian side as an opener just yet.
For the first time in a long time, India's problem in Test cricket is not one of too much, but too little.
Khawaja's opening partner now a race between two
Australia are also searching for an opening partner, following David Warner's replacement. There were four candidates ahead of the series starting – Sam Konstas, Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Nathan McSweeney.
McSweeney top-scored in each innings of the first match, albeit from No.4. This prompted a shift to the opening slot in the second match, for the first time in his first-class career. He was far less impressive, with 14 & 25 to his name. Marcus Harris scored a gritty 74 in the first innings of the second match, while Konstas starred with an unbeaten 73 in the second run-chase from No.4.
By all accounts, the list has now been whittled down to two – McSweeney, who comes in with 291 runs in 4 Sheffield Shield innings behind him, or Harris, who comes with the experience of having represented Australia in Test cricket before.
