India vs Australia: Shreyas Iyer failed to recover from injury. This created a gap in the Indian middle order. With this, it remains to be seen who will get a place among Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill.
IND vs AUS Test: Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the first match of the four-Test series against Australia due to a back injury. With this, the Indian team management is planning to play Suryakumar Yadav in the middle order. However, if we look at the current form… it seems that there is a possibility of getting Shubhaman Gill in the field rather than Surya. Iyer, who missed the limited overs home series against New Zealand, has not fully recovered from the injury. He is undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy.
Suryakumar or Gill to replace Shreyas Iyer?
Shreyas Iyer failed to recover from a groin injury. This leaves a slot vacant in the Indian middle order. Contenders for this post are Suryakumar, Gill. Suryakumar has only batted in the middle order in his career. Meanwhile, Gill has opened the innings for many national teams in Test cricket. Iyer, who has been consistent so far in his short Test career, also impressed during the 2-0 series win against Bangladesh in December last year.
BCCI officials told PTI, “When the New Zealand team comes to India in late 2021, they are expected to open the innings with KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal. So we have considered the name of Shubhaman Gill in the middle order. As Rahul was injured, Gill started the innings. Then he was injured again. We have taken his name for the middle order in red ball cricket,” he said.
Captain Rohit Sharma and Vice Captain Rahul became the first choice as the opening pair in the team. After that it was decided to play Chhateshwar Pujara at number three and Virat Kohli at number four. The fifth order is very important,” he said. Because the batsman coming down the order is expected to face the second new ball.
Gilde has the upper hand in the middle order.
As for Gill, starting his red-ball career as a middle-order batsman, playing regularly in Test cricket, gave him the upper hand.
The former national selector said, “Gill played in the middle order during the ‘A’ tour of West Indies when Rahul Dravid was in charge of India-A. He also scored a double century there. “Initially he was a middle-order batsman, then he became an opener.”
Suryakumar’s dominance over spinners will be crucial on spin-friendly pitches. If Nathan Lyon can spin his off-spin balls too much, Suryakumar can spoil his rhythm with his footwork. But Gill is a better choice against Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
India vs Australia Test Series
First Test – February 9 to 13, Nagpur
Second Test – February 17 to 21, Delhi
Third Test – March 1 to 5, Dharamshala
Fourth Test – March 9 to 13, Ahmedabad
Indian team for the first two Tests against Australia
Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubham Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), R.K. Ashwin, Akshar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.
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