KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran face off in the India A match against Australia A to secure the opening spot in Rohit Sharma‘s absence for the first Border-Gavaskar Test.
Rahul and Easwaran Compete for Rohit’s Spot
With Rohit Sharma set to miss the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar series in Perth, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir will evaluate KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran in an India A game against Australia A.
Rahul, a seasoned player with extensive overseas experience, will likely open alongside Easwaran. Their performance in the match will help Gambhir decide who fits best to open the innings for India in Rohit’s absence.
Easwaran, who had an impressive domestic season, initially replaced Rohit in the squad, but the selectors seem hesitant, as his recent India A scores of 7 and 12 were underwhelming.
A strong performance by Rahul, however, may allow him to reclaim his former top-order role, a position where he has registered centuries in challenging overseas conditions.
Dhruv Jurel and Team Adjustments
Dhruv Jurel is also set to participate in the India A game, taking over wicket-keeping duties from Ishan Kishan.
This arrangement pushes captain Ruturaj Gaikwad to bat one down, highlighting the selectors’ experimental approach for the Australia series.
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Jurel’s inclusion could pose a potential replacement for struggling middle-order batsman Sarfaraz Khan, who has had a poor run with only 21 runs across four innings.
Sarfaraz’s suitability for Australian conditions remains a concern
Sarfaraz Khan’s spot in the team may be at risk. If Rohit Sharma becomes available for the first Test in Perth, he could take Sarfaraz’s place in the playing XI.
Sarfaraz has struggled recently, scoring just 21 runs across his last four innings, including a duck after his impressive 150 against New Zealand in Bengaluru. Experts are also concerned that Sarfaraz’s playing style might not be well-suited for Australian conditions.
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