A Major Blow: Rohit Out of First BGT Test
The Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series is set to kick off on November 22 in Australia where the Indian team will be gearing up to face off against Australia with star players, like Rohit Sharma alongside Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah (vice captain), and more. However Rohit Sharma will be absent from the opening Test match due, to reasons following the arrival of his second child.
With Rohit not featuring in the ODIs, it fills a void at the top of the order but also begs questions about team composition and balance. Let us now turn to more specific issues concerning this vital change and its effect on Team India.
Rohit Out of First BGT Test
In light of the birth of his second kid, Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma has asked the BCCI for extra time with his family. Aside from self-interest, he has placed the Indian team in a difficult situation ahead of a crucial Test match against Australia.
As such, Rohit will remain in India rather than travel with the Indian team for the beginning of the tour. As per reports, the team will fly to Australia in two groups on 10 and 11 November, and it is anticipated that Rohit will come for the second Test.
Jasprit Bumrah as the Lead
In the absence of the captain, on duty Jasprit Bumrah will step in as the team leader. It’s noteworthy that Bumrah led the team in a test match at Edgbaston against England in 2022. He has only captained once and lost the game by seven wickets, despite the fact that he is still learning the ways and means of captaincy. He has only captained once and lost the game by seven wickets, despite the fact that he is still learning the ways and means of captaincy.
Nonetheless, there is a strong level of trust in Bumrah with regards to leading the team due to the high-pressure situations that he has had to endure as well as his approach and record as one of the premier pace bowlers.
Who will partner Yashasvi Jaiswal as the Opener?
Since Rohit is not there, there is a noticeable space at the top of the sequence. The search for a reliable partner has begun for Yashasvi Jaiswal, a young player who displayed potential in both technique and composure.
Top Contenders for Opening
1. KL Rahul:
- Experience: Rahul is the strongest candidate with respect to the vacant position. Though he has become out of form in recent times, performances in Australia including a hundred in Sydney in the year 2015, make him a reasonable bet.
- Coach’s Support: Gautam Gambhir, the head coach, has indicated that Rahul may also be part of the squad due to his experience and knowledge to cope with the opening of new ball in tough situations.
2. Abhimanyu Easwaran:
- Reserve Opener: Easwaran has been named the reserve opener for the Australia tour. But in the shadow series against Australia A, he didn’t exactly make a great impression with scores of 7, 12, 0, and 17.
- Doubtful Inclusion: Though technically sound, Easwaran’s uncouth form might not help his cause to get a playing XI.
3. Devdutt Padikkal: This left-hander sportsman has been called up to the squad to take Rohit’s place. Even if Padikkal is a promising prospect, the management might be reluctant to grant him a debut in such a crucial match because of his lack of Test cricket experience.
4. Dhruv Jurel: Possessing fifties in both innings of the second unofficial Test, Jurel, who is well-known for his reliability on the home circuit, is a wild card option. He is more likely to start the inning in the middle order, though.
The fact that India won’t be able to train in Australia before the series would exacerbate their issues. Initially, a three-day encounter against India A was planned for the WACA Stadium, but it was later rescheduled. The squad will instead play center-wicket simulations, which might not replicate the intensity of a real practice match.
Series Overview: Dates & Squads
Below is a comprehensive schedule of the series’ match dates, locations, and times:
Test | Venue | Dates | Local Time | GMT |
First Test | Perth Stadium, Perth | Nov 22-26, 2024 | 10:20 am – 5:20 pm | 2:20 am – 9:20 am |
Second Test | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | Dec 6-10, 2024 | 2:30 pm – 10:00 pm | 4:00 am – 11:30 am |
Third Test | Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane | Dec 14-18, 2024 | 10:20 am – 5:20 pm | 12:20 am – 7:20 am |
Fourth Test | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | Dec 26-30, 2024 | 10:30 am – 5:30 pm | 11:30 am – 6:30 am |
Fifth Test | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | Jan 3-7, 2025 | 10:30 am – 5:30 pm | 11:30 am – 6:30 am |
Squads
- Team India for the Whole Series
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), and Mohammad Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Rohit Sharma (captain)
- The First Test Team listed for Australia
Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey (week), Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis (week), Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, and Pat Cummins (captain)
