"Big shoes to fill.." Dinesh Karthik names two players who could replace Pujara and Rahane in BGT 2024-25

Dinesh Karthik feels it won’t be easy to fill in the shoes of Pujara and Rahane.

Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik named two youngsters who can replace Chesteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in India’s test line-up in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 in Australia. The five-match test series between the two cricketing giants will be played from November 22, 2024 to January 7, 2025.

The Indian cricket team are once again favorites to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In the past two tours of Australia, the Indian side won two consecutive test series in 2018-19 and 2020-21. During both tours, Pujara and Rahane played pivotal role in helping India win the series on Australian soil.

However, both veterans have been sidelined from the test squad as the Indian management is giving chances to young cricketers. Replacing Pujara and Rahane will not be an easy task for any young batter in the upcoming BGT 2024-25 in Australia.

Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan can replace Pujara and Rahane: Dinesh Karthik

Cricketer-turned-commentator Karthik feels that youngsters Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan can replace experienced batters Pujara and Rahane in the Indian line-up during the upcoming BGT in Australia. Karthik further said that Shubman and Sarfaraz have the quality and caliber in them.

“Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan. Both of those batters have done really well against England in the home series that recently happened at the start of the year. I have a feeling both of them will definitely be on that flight to Australia and will be trying to do their best. We will know if they’re able to replace both Ajinkya and Pujji (Pujara). Big shoes to fill, but they have the quality and caliber in them,” Karthik said on HeyCB with DK show on Cricbuzz.

Gill made his test debut during the BGT 2020/21 in Australia. Gill made 259 runs in three matches at an impressive average of 51.80 in BGT 2020-21. Gill also played a crucial knock of 91 runs in the Gabba test, where India defeated the hosts by three wickets.

Meanwhile, Sarafraz made his test debut during the England test series earlier this year. The middle-order batter has played three games and scored 200 runs at an admirable average of 50, including three half-centuries.

India’s tour of Australia 2024-25 schedule:

November 22-26: 1st test, Perth Stadium, Perth (D)

December 6-10: 2nd test, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (D/N)

December 14-18: 3rd test, The Gabba, Brisbane (D)

December 26-30: 4th test, MCG, Melbourne (D)

January 3-7: 5th Test, SCG, Sydney (D)

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