BGT 2024-25: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill OUT; Indian Cricket Team playing 11 for first test in Perth - Predicted

The Indian Cricket Team won their last two test series in Australia.

The Indian Cricket Team will take on Australia in a five-match test series, starting on November 22 in Perth, for the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). This is the first time since 1991/92 that these two teams will clash in a five-match test series.

The Indian cricket team currently hold the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having won the last four series against Australia, including twice away from home. India are the only Asian team to win even a single test series in Australia; that they have done it twice is simply incredible.

India would want to start the BGT 2024-25 on resounding note at the Optus Stadium in Perth. However, they have been hit with two major setbacks as captain and opener Rohit Sharma and No. 3 batsman Shubman Gill will miss the first test.

Rohit recently became a father and had not travelled to Australia with the other squad members. He will link up with the squad ahead of the second test in Adelaide. Jasprit Bumrah, the vice-captain, will lead India in Perth in Rohit’s absence.

Gill suffered a thumb injury while fielding on Saturday and hence has been ruled out from the first test. He is expected to be fit in time for the Adelaide test.

The absence of Rohit means that KL Rahul is set to have another go as a test opener and partner Yashasvi Jaiswal. India have Abhimanyu Easwaran as a back-up opener, but his poor returns against Australia A didn’t make a strong case.

India also asked Devdutt Padikkal, who did well against Australia A, to stay behind with the squad after Gill got injured. Padikkal made his test debut against England at home earlier and this year and is likely to slot in at No. 3 in Perth.

Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant will occupy the next two positions. Dhruv Jurel, who hit twin fifties against Australia A, is likely to get the nod over Sarfaraz Khan, who is known to struggle against extra bounce and high pace.

There are reports of India pondering strongly over handing medium-pace all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy a test debut in Perth. India are looking at Reddy to play the kind of role Shardul Thakur did for them in their overseas trips in the last three years.

R Ashwin over Ravindra Jadeja in Perth?

Since the Perth surface is heavily pace-friendly, India are expected to pick only one spinner. While they had gone with Ravindra Jadeja on the previous tour of England, R Ashwin is likely to get the nod in Perth given Australia have three left-handers in their top seven and the senior off-spinner was excellent on the previous tour of Australia. The presence of Reddy at No. 7 would mean that India can afford to play Ashwin over Jadeja at No. 8.

Two pacers are certain: Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. While Akash Deep has done well in his brief career, which includes five home test matches, Prasidh Krishna’s height, with which he extracts extra bounce, is likely to get him in the XI over Deep. Krishna picked up six wickets against Australia A in Melbourne.

Indian Cricket Team playing 11 for first test in Perth – Predicted:

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
2. KL Rahul
3. Devdutt Padikkal
4. Virat Kohli
5. Rishabh Pant (wk)
6. Dhruv Jurel
7. Nitish Kumar Reddy
8. R Ashwin
9. Jasprit Bumrah (C)
10. Mohammed Siraj
11. Prasidh Krishna

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