In less than a week to go before the start of the opening Test match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, India has been hit fiercely by a long list of injuries and absences. The fragile batting department of the Blue Brigade has already been hit by the absence of Rohit Sharma, their captain of the side, who is likely to miss the first game at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
The practice session in India has made the situation worse. Their number-three batter, Shubman Gill, has hit on his finger while fielding during the three-day match stimulation, and he is almost ruled out of the series-opening with the fractured thumb. The other potential opening batter of the side, KL Rahul, was hit by a rising delivery, even though, the management is not that worried about his fitness.
As of now, the left-handed batter, Yashasvi Jaiswal, is slotted at the opening position but has no confirmed partner. Abhimanyu Easwaran is in the squad, but probably his performance in the two unofficial Tests for India A against the Australia A side hasn’t made the selectors satisfied.
India to decide between Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal for replacement
Recent reports have claimed one of the two left-handed opening batters, Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Paddikal, could be asked to stay a little longer down under. Both of them traveled with the A-squad for the two fixtures against Australia last month and have been part of the ongoing match stimulations in Perth.
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The Rest of the A-players are scheduled to fly out of Perth around midnight on November 17, but there is a strong possibility of one of the two elegant southpaws staying back.
“The final call will be with the coach, captain, and selectors but there is a strong possibility of management asking one specialist top-order batter to stay back for the series opener. Abhimanyu Easwaran is already there, but one of Sai or Devdutt could well stay back too.” The reports have expressed the tracked developments.
The Karnataka opener could be ahead in the race, having already played for India, impressing the head of the selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, during the Dharamshala Test against England at the start of the year. He collected 65 runs in the lone innings he batted.
When it comes to his first-class career, the 24-year-old clubbed 2677 runs in 66 innings at an average of 42.49 and a strike rate of over 58, with the help of six centuries and 17 half-centuries at the best score of 193.
Sai Sudharsan, the Tamil Nadu opening batter, got the attention of the selectors in the three ODIs against South Africa, where he smashed 127 runs at an average of 63.50 with two half-centuries. In 47 FC innings, the batter has gathered 1948 runs at an average of 41.44 and a strike rate of 55.32 with the help of five half-centuries and seven centuries at the best score of 213 runs.
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In the second innings of the first unofficial Test for India A in Mackay, he celebrated a 103-run knock, which again kept him ahead for selection, having enjoyed a 213-run knock against Delhi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in his last round of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25.
There is still a handful of time left before the start of the opening game, but the management is likely to take a call on the India A players in the upcoming few hours as they are originally scheduled to leave on November 17, five days before the start of the Perth game.