Rohit Sharma and company will be working out the kinks in the run-up to the high-octane series. Unfortunately, not every one of their difficulties has a simple remedy.
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With a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final on the line, Team India prepares to face Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The first Test, contested at Nagpur, will begin on Thursday, February 9. The visitors are capable of upsetting India’s apple cart. Their middle order includes great players like Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, and their bowling attack is unrivalled. Rohit Sharma and company will be working out the kinks in the run-up to the high-octane series. Unfortunately, not every one of their difficulties has a simple remedy.
Shreyas Iyer is currently rehabilitating at the NCA following a back injury that forced him to miss the ODI series against New Zealand. While there has been no official word on his availability for the first two Tests, reports indicate that the batter will not be able to play in the first game. If Shreyas fails to make the cut, India would have to settle for Shubman Gill or Suryakumar Yadav at No. 5. Gill is in red-hot form and is the current leader, but he has never batted in the middle order in Test cricket. Suryakumar, on the other hand, is uncapped with not the best first-class record. Virat Kohli, who is currently having a bad run of form, will have a lot on his shoulders. The former Indian captain has struggled against spin and instilled little confidence in the team’s Test series against Bangladesh. He has not been able to carry the batting order as he once did as these numbers suggest.
| Year | Innings | Runs | Balls | Outs | Avg | SR | HS | 50 | 100 | 4s | 6s | Dot % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6 | 116 | 283 | 6 | 19.3 | 41.0 | 74 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 79.9 |
| 2021 | 19 | 536 | 1,216 | 19 | 28.2 | 44.1 | 72 | 4 | 0 | 60 | 1 | 77.1 |
| 2022 | 11 | 265 | 672 | 10 | 26.5 | 39.4 | 79 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 79.2 |
| Total | 36 | 917 | 2,171 | 35 | 26.2 | 42.2 | 79 | 6 | 0 | 108 | 2 | 78.1 |
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The most important player in India’s Test XI will not compete in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Pant, the team’s most valuable Test player, will not play against Australia, leaving the hosts with only KS Bharat and Kishan. In first-class cricket, both Bharat and Kishan average less than 40. The former, who is certain to make the starting lineup, lacks Pant’s ability to take the game away from the opposition. He also has no experience at the Test level. Meanwhile, Kishan is dealing with a slew of problems. Pant’s absence is likely to be India’s biggest issue heading into the series. There is just no answer, and Rohit and the company will have to make do with what they have.
India will be without fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who is still recovering from a back ailment incurred at the end of last year. Clouds are also looming over the players at their disposal. Ravindra Jadeja, the star all-rounder, is back from a long-term knee ailment. Although he performed against Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy, facing Australia will be a whole different challenge. The left-arm spinner plays a crucial role with the bat, and it has to be seen how effectively he can pull up. KL Meanwhile, Rahul had a bad year in Test cricket in 2022. Out of form and lacking confidence, the vice-captain will be hoping that the rest he got during the New Zealand series will help him regain his footing for Team India. Key Indian players may be out of form and rusty, something the team cannot afford in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
