Shubman Gill or K L Rahul?
India’s team management must make a critical choice on Rohit Sharma’s replacement at the top of the order since he is expected to miss the opening Test match against Australia in Perth, which begins on November 22.
India is still determining who will play with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the series opener, even though vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah will captain the squad in Rohit’s absence.
For the Indians to establish a solid foundation on what will probably be a difficult pitch in Perth, they need a potent opening combination. This might also be crucial in determining the tone for the remainder of the five-match series.
Abhimanyu Easwaran, a prolific run scorer for Bengal, was selected as the Australia Tests’ backup opener in case Rohit could not play. However, his performance in the two India A practice matches, where he failed to score more than 20 runs in four innings, has complicated India’s selection.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir hinted that they were considering the seasoned K L Rahul as a potential opening batsman before he departed for Australia.
Sometimes, you also accompany the more seasoned players. And that is the man’s quality. That he can bat at the top of the order, at number three, and even at number six,” Gambhir said.
Consider how many nations have players like KL who can bat at No. 6 and open the batting. Therefore, he can cover for us if Rohit cannot play in the opening Test match.
However, Rahul’s poor recent performance as a middle-order batsman does not assist his case. Before being hurried to play for India A in the second unofficial Test match, where he once again let them down by managing just 7 and 10 at the MCG, he failed with the bat in the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand.
However, Rahul’s experience as a Test opener is to his advantage. Since debuting in Australia in 2014–2015, he has participated in 44 of 53 Test matches, accumulating 2,551 runs at an average of 34, including seven hundreds and 12 fifties.
Seven of Rahul’s eight Test hundreds have occurred away from home, with his first coming as an opener against Australia in the 2015 Sydney Test.
In the South Africa series, Rahul moved to the middle order in December last year. He got off to a strong start with a century in Centurion until his inconsistency led to his demise. He only managed two fifties in nine innings after his hundred, and he is still in and out of the team.
On the other hand, Easwaran has received recognition for his steady play in domestic cricket, scoring 7,674 runs at an average of 48 in 101 first-class matches, including 27 hundreds.
The 29-year-old opener blasted four consecutive hundreds during his incredible run in red-ball cricket, including two in the Duleep Trophy and one in the Irani Cup and Ranji Trophy. However, he has struggled in Australian conditions, scoring 7, 12, 0, and 17 for India A in four innings.
Whether India takes a chance with Easwaran on a Perth pitch, which should be very helpful to pace bowlers, is still up in the air.
Since Rohit is only expected to miss one game, moving Shubman Gill back to the starting position might be safer. As a result, they can keep Rahul in the middle of the order.
They may also bring in the highly effective Dhruv Jurel, who hit two fifties for India in the second game against Australia A.
Gill began as the opener but soon asked the club management to move him to number three due to his lack of consistency. In 16 Test matches as an opener, Gill amassed 874 runs at a subpar average of 32, with just two hundreds.
Gill’s record has significantly improved since he moved to his preferred No. 3 spot last year, amassing 879 runs at an average of 41 in 13 Test matches, including three hundreds. He could not create an impression during the New Zealand series, failing in the other three innings save for a solid knock of 90.
Will India stick with Gill in the starting lineup, risk the uncapped Easwaran, or take a chance on Rahul, who isn’t playing well?
Since Rohit Sharma could not play in the first Test match against Australia for personal reasons, much debate has been about who should open. Numerous names have surfaced as viable contenders, each with unique advantages and disadvantages.
Shubman Gill, who has been playing well lately, is a serious contender. Although he has been batting at number three, he has shown promise in the opening spot and could be moved back there. Gill is an excellent choice to partner with Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the order because of his attitude and technique.
KL Rahul, who has experience starting the innings for India, is an additional option. His recent performance has been patchy, though, and a middle-order position would be more appropriate for him. It would be a risk if he were chosen to open, but it would be worthwhile if he could regain his form.
Abhimanyu Easwaran, who was selected as the squad’s third opener, might be a more unusual decision. He is a gifted batter with good technique, even though his India A tour has not started well. He may blow everyone away with his performance if given the chance.
Rohit Sharma’s replacement choice will ultimately be influenced by several variables, such as the team’s overall balance, the Perth weather, and each player’s performance. To have any hope of winning the first Test match against Australia, the Indian squad will require a potent opening partnership, regardless of who is selected.