BGT 2024-25: Head coach Gautam Gambhir flies back to Australia as India mull second Test team combination

Edited By: Prashant Talreja
New Delhi Updated: Dec 02, 2024, 10:15 PM(IST)

Ravi Shastri shares advice for India coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of BGT opener Photograph:( AFP )

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Assuming Rahul stays as opener, Rohit can come in at number three—a position where Gill usually plays for India. In the situation where Rohit bats one down, Gill would have to bat as low as five or six.

India coach Gautam Gambhir has flown back to Australia and will join the Indian team on Tuesday (Dec. 3) in Adelaide - the venue of the second Test which starts from December 6. Gambhir had travelled back to India after the first Test because of 'personal reasons' and missed India's two-day tour game in Canberra. The development was reported by cricket news website ESPNCricinfo.

India are looking at some decisions to be made ahead of the second Test with both regular skipper Rohit Sharma and injured batter Shubman Gill back after missing the first Test in Perth. India, however, managed to win the Perth Test by 295 runs under stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah.

Also Read: Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar 'loving palpable panic' in Australia team

KL Rahul, who had opened in place of Rohit in the first Test, scored 26 in the pink-ball practice game but more importantly opened the innings. If the practice game is any indication, India are likely to keep the same opening pair as in the first Test - Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rahul. India's opening pair added 201 runs in the second innings in Perth - the highest ever for them Down Under.

Assuming Rahul stays as opener, Rohit can come in at number three—a position where Gill usually plays for India. In the situation Rohit bats one down, Gill would have to bat as low as five or six given Virat Kohli comes at number four in Tests and Rishabh Pant well set at number five.

Apart from that, India's bowling seems finalized, with Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj being the two pacers apart from Jasprit Bumrah. Rana, who impressed with four wickets in his debut Test, also took four wickets in six balls in the practice game.

For the spinner role, Washington Sundar looks like a lock with the offie getting to bowl and bat both in the tour game. Nitish Kumar Reddy, meanwhile, looks set to retain his place as the all-rounder.

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