Former Indian cricket coach Ravi Shastri has unveiled his predicted playing XI for the upcoming first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, set to commence on November 22 in Perth. His selection reflects a horses-for-courses strategy, particularly in light of regular captain Rohit Sharma’s absence due to personal commitments.
Shastri’s insights come as India prepares to defend their title in a crucial series that plays a significant role in their quest for the World Test Championship final. The team must secure at least four victories out of five matches to enhance their chances of qualifying.
Opening Pair and Middle Order
With Rohit Sharma unavailable, Shastri believes that Shubman Gill should open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. He noted that while KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran were options, neither performed notably during recent unofficial Tests against Australia A. Shastri stated, “You can push Shubman (Gill) back up the order and he has opened in the past in Australia. Otherwise, you’ll have to then make an alternative. Easwaran hasn’t done that well (for India A in Australia).”
Everything You Need to Know About the IPL 2025 Mega Auction
The middle order is expected to feature established players such as KL Rahul at No. 3. He will be followed by Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant. Additionally, wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel has impressed with his temperament and performance. He has scored 80 and 68 in his last two innings against Australia A. Shastri praised Jurel’s calmness under pressure: “What impressed me most was his (Jurel’s) temperament, his calmness when the chips were down… Under pressure, you can see a lot of players struggling… But in this guy’s case, his temperament stood out.”
Bowling Attack and Spin Options
Shastri suggested that India should opt for a pace-heavy attack on the bouncy Perth pitch. He indicated that only one spinner should be included in the lineup. It could either be Ravindra Jadeja or Washington Sundar over Ravichandran Ashwin. “I would go with one spinner,” he remarked. “In those conditions, to have two spinners is a luxury. You need pace because that track has pace and bounce, and you need the bowlers to exploit it and keep the pressure on the batsman.”
The pace attack is likely to consist of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep, with Nitish Reddy included as an all-rounder who can provide depth to both batting and bowling. Shastri pointed out that Reddy could fulfil a role similar to that of Shardul Thakur as the fourth seamer:
“Do they (Indian team management) want to risk going in with two spinners or do they want to take Nitish Reddy? Reddy will have to do a job like Shardul Thakur did as the fourth seamer. He can bat a bit, give the bowlers a little bit of respite so that they can bowl in short spells…and be someone who will have to be good for those eight to 10 overs that he bowls. So that would be my pick, seeing the conditions,” Shastri concluded.
Ravi Shastri’s Predicted Playing XI
Based on his analysis, Ravi Shastri’s predicted playing XI for India is as follows:
- Shubman Gill
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- KL Rahul
- Virat Kohli
- Rishabh Pant
- Dhruv Jurel
- Ravindra Jadeja/Washington Sundar
- Nitish Reddy
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Akash Deep
- Mohammed Siraj
Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, and Instagram
