Prithvi Shaw is among those in contention to bag the spot for a reserve opener in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, said former India selector Jatin Paranjpe. It’s a long tour starting next month and the men’s senior selection committee would look to cover all bases while finalizing the squad sheet.
According to the PTI, Rohit Sharma is currently dealing with a personal issue. Rohit has previously alerted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about his position, but the board has yet to receive official confirmation from him.
The Perth Stadium will host the first Test of the five-match series on November 22-26. Following that, the day-night Test will be held in Adelaide. Rohit is believed to be available for the second Test.
However, if the personal situation is resolved before the start of the series, Rohit may be available for all five tests. A source from PTI provided this information.
“In case, the personal issue is sorted before the start of the series, he might play all five Tests. We will get to know more in coming days,” a source was quoted as saying by PTI.
Rohit is a key member of the Indian Test team. Not only is he the captain, but he is also an experienced opener with an excellent track record in the format in recent years. His absence will be difficult to replace for India, which will be aiming for a hat-trick of Test series victories in Australia later this year.
Prithvi Shaw could make a case for himself with good domestic showing: Jatin Paranjpe
With indications circulating that Rohit Sharma is set to miss one of the Tests for personal reasons, Ajit Agarkar and Co. will be keeping a careful eye on potential candidates for the position.
Former India selector Jatin Paranjape has added a very fascinating name to the list, joining Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Sai Sudharsan.
Shaw, known for his aggressive style and quick scoring, offers a distinct aspect to the top order, according to Paranjape, and he considers him the “dark horse”.
“Shubman Gill is probably a good choice for the third opener because he can bat at number three and also open the innings. However, I’d also consider KL Rahul for the third opener role, depending on the situation. Everyone is scoring runs. Easwaran is doing well too. There’s also a dark horse that nobody is talking about Prithvi Shaw. This domestic season will be crucial for Shaw,” said Jatin Paranjpe to Times of India.
Shaw last played a Test for India in 2020, against Australia, at Adelaide. He has played five Tests, amassing 339 runs at an average of 42.37, with one century and two fifties.
The aggressive opener enjoyed a dream debut in 2018, smashing 134 against the West Indies, becoming the youngest Indian – at 18 — to score a century on debut. Since then, his career has been hampered by injuries, poor form, and off-field issues.
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