India have several selection concerns ahead of their first Test against Australia, starting on November 22. Here’s how the visitors are likely to line up in Perth.
Openers
KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal
Jaiswal is a must in the team, having cemented his place with strong showings ever since he made his debut last July. In 14 Tests, he has made 1,407 runs at an average of 56.28 with three hundreds. In the absence of skipper Rohit, Jaiswal will open alongside an under-fire Rahul, fresh off a bizarre dismissal in the India A game.
Rahul’s place in the Test squad was uncertain till a few days ago. After being dropped from India’s XI for the New Zealand Tests, he also looked tentative against Australia A, forcing the team to possibly think of opening with Shubman Gill. He was later injured during India’s simulation training, which further cast down on his place. However, he has since recovered, but Gill’s injury has forced a rethink and it is now all but certain that India will open with Rahul.
Rahul has had a topsy-turvy career since his first Test hundred on Australia shores. There have been periods of brilliance overseas followed by sporadic runs of form but Rahul has found a way to rise when the odds have been against him.
Middle-order
Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel
Padikkal and Jurel would be surprise inclusions in the XI, with the duo not being in the fray until a month ago. Padikkal is likely to replace Gill at No.3, having been asked to stay behind after impressing during the A series. He faced 276 balls across both innings in the first unofficial Test, making 124 runs, including a fine 88 in the second. In the next Test, Padikkal stood tall for 55 on a spicy wicket, making 26 before being undone by the extra bounce.
Jurel should play as the specialist batter, having unanimously won over experts with his temperament and batting approach against the quicks in the A game. He made twin fifties at Melbourne on testing conditions and would have been a favourite to bat at No.3 if Gill had been fit and opening.
Sarfaraz Khan will be unlucky to miss out after his debut hundred in the previous series, but he has little exposure of playing on bouncy conditions recently, having not been named in the India A team either. He has limited first-class experience outside Asia.
Kohli and Pant are, of course, certainties.
