"Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel will unfortunately miss out" - Cheteshwar Pujara on likely changes in India's playing XI for BGT 2024-25 2nd Test
Cheteshwar Pujara expects Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel to make way for Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill in India's playing XI for the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He also wants KL Rahul to bat at No. 3, with Rohit taking his position at the top of the order.
India registered an emphatic 295-run win in the first Test against Australia in Perth. The second game of the five-match series will be played in Adelaide from December 6 onwards.
While speaking on the Star Sports show 'Follow the Blues', Pujara opined that Rohit and Gill will likely replace Padikkal and Jurel in India's playing XI.
"In the batting lineup, I feel Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel will unfortunately miss out in the next Test match. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will come in their places. If we talk about the batting order, I feel KL Rahul should bat in the top three," he said.
The veteran India batter urged the visitors to bat Rahul at No. 3.
"Rohit will obviously open once he comes. However, it will be great for the Indian team if KL Rahul bats at No. 3 because he looked extremely comfortable against the new ball in the first Test and was batting very well," Pujara reasoned.
Rahul scored 26 runs in India's first innings in Perth and followed it up with a 77-run knock in the second essay. While Padikkal aggregated 25 runs across his two innings, Jurel managed 12 runs in his two hits.
"It will become slightly easier for him" - Cheteshwar Pujara wants Shubman Gill to bat at No. 5
![Shubman Gill missed the first Test against Australia due to a fracture in his thumb. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/bd304-17328627044494-1920.jpg?w=500)
On the same show, Cheteshwar Pujara opined that Shubman Gill should bat at No. 5, with Rishabh Pant moving to No. 6.
"When Shubman Gill comes into the team, if he bats at No. 5, the ball will be slightly old when his batting comes, and he can play his natural game. He plays a few attacking shots. So it will become slightly easier for him, and because of that, Rishabh Pant can come at No. 6, and batting there will become slightly easier for him as well," he said.
The cricketer-turned-commentator wants India to persist with the same bowling attack in the Adelaide Test.
"Our bowling was excellent in the first Test match. So there is no change required in bowling. Washington Sundar also picked up two wickets and the way Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled, no change is needed there, and Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are bowling well in any case," Pujara reasoned.
Cheteshwar Pujara's preferred India XI: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj