Two big selection headaches for Team India ahead of first test against Australia | INDvsAUS

Xtra Time Web Desk: There are quite a few selection headaches for the Indian team management ahead of the first test against Australia starting on February 9 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association stadium. First and foremost is who will keep wickets in the absence of Rishabh Pant who is injured. The team management have three options in the likes KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan and KS Bharat. Rahul who is also the vice-captain if the side may not be over-burdened with wicket-keeping, leaving Ishan and Bharat as the options.

Bharat was part of the Indian test squad for the tour to Bangladesh last month. He has been waiting in the wings for a long time and is a better wicket-keeper than Ishan. Ishan too has done well in the white ball format. But when it comes to test cricket, it requires a specialist wicket-keeper and for that reason Bharat has a slight edge. Although Ishan too cannot be ruled out and the advantage having him in the playing XI is he is a left hander.

Second selection dilemma for the team management is whether to include Shubman Gill or Suryakumar Yadav. The team management has backed Shubman heavily in all three formats. And the results have started showing. He has slammed tons across all three formats and has also got a double ton in ODIs. It’s on the team management to make the right call. With KL Rahul being the vice-captain in the test side and also likely to open the batting with Rohit Sharma, only chance for Shubman to break into the playing XI is middle order. But inclusion of Gill will come at the cost of a spinner or a pacer.

The team management will have to be wise before picking the best playing XI against a top side like Australia.

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By: XtraTime
Title: Two big selection headaches for Team India ahead of first test against Australia | INDvsAUS
Sourced From: xtratime.in/two-big-selection-headaches-for-team-india-ahead-of-first-test-against-australia-indvsaus/
Published Date: Sun, 05 Feb 2023 08:53:12 +0000

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