3 biggest concerns for Team India ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
With a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final on the line, Team India are all set to lock horns with Australia in the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The first Test, to be played in Nagpur, will commence on Thursday, February 9.
The visitors have what it takes to upset India's applecart. Their middle order features talented players like Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, while not much needs to be said about the potent bowling attack.
Rohit Sharma and Co. will be poring over the kinks they need to iron out in the lead-up to the high-octane series. Unfortunately, though, not all of their problems have straightforward solutions.
India’s Test squad for the first two Tests against Australia: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.
Here are the three biggest concerns for Team India ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
#3 Key players might have issues with form and rustiness
India will be without Jasprit Bumrah for the assignment, with the fast bowler yet to recover from a back injury he suffered towards the end of last year. The players at their disposal also have some clouds hanging over them.
Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is returning from a long-standing knee injury. Although he impressed in the Ranji Trophy against Tamil Nadu, playing Australia will be a different task altogether. The left-arm spinner has an important role to play with the bat, and it remains to be seen if he can pull up well.
KL Rahul, meanwhile, endured a miserable year in Test cricket in 2022. Out of form and low on confidence, the vice-captain will hope that the break he took during the New Zealand series will help him find his feet again for Team India.
Key Indian players might have issues with form and rustiness, which is something the side can't afford in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
#2 The out-of-form Virat Kohli has a lot on his shoulders in Shreyas Iyer's potential absence
Shreyas Iyer is currently at the NCA recovering from a back injury that kept him out of the ODI series against New Zealand. While there has been no official word on his availability for the first two Tests, reports suggest that the batter won't make it in time for the opening game.
If Shreyas doesn't make the grade, India will have to go with either Shubman Gill or Suryakumar Yadav at No. 5. Gill is in red-hot form and is the frontrunner right now, but he hasn't played in the middle order in Test cricket previously. Suryakumar, meanwhile, is uncapped with a poor first-class record.
Virat Kohli, who is in a miserable run of form at the moment, will have a lot on his shoulders. The former Indian skipper has been a sitting duck against spin and inspired no confidence in the side's Test series against Bangladesh. He isn't in a position to carry the batting lineup like he once used to.
#1 India are without a reliable wicketkeeper + middle-order dasher
The most irreplaceable player in India's Test XI won't take part in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Rishabh Pant, who is arguably the side's most important Test player, won't be seen in action against Australia, leaving the hosts with only KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan.
Both Bharat and Kishan average less than 40 in first-class cricket. The former, who is likely to slot into the playing XI, doesn't have the ability to take the game away from the opposition as Pant does. He is also totally inexperienced at the Test level. Kishan, meanwhile, has a plethora of issues to sort out.
Pant's absence is probably India's biggest concern ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. There's simply no solution readily available, and Rohit and Co. will have to make do with what they have.