[In Pictures] Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana receive debut caps ahead of BGT 2024-25 1st Test
Team India handed debuts to all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and pacer Harshit Rana for the Border-Gavaskar Test series opener in Perth on Friday, November 22. After being added to the playing XI for the first Test, the two youngsters are all set to feature in their maiden Test.
Nitish and Harshit received their India Test caps from senior players Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, respectively.
Meanwhile, India's stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah won the toss and chose to bat first in the Perth Test. The visitors need to win the five-match Test series 4-0 to qualify for the World Test Championship 2023-25 final without having to rely on other results.
Here are the two playing XIs for the BGT 2024-25 series opener:
India XI for Perth Test: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah(c), Mohammed Siraj
Australia XI for Perth Test: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
"We are positive about him" - Jasprit Bumrah on Nitish Kumar Reddy
Team India's stand-in skipper praised Nitish Kumar Reddy ahead of the Test series opener against Australia. The ace speedster mentioned that the team management is extremely positive about Reddy.
Bumrah said at the pre-match press conference (via TOI):
"Nitish Kumar Reddy is quite talented and we are positive about him. You have seen in IPL also, he believes in his game."
Bumrah also lauded the team's youngsters by suggesting that they have a good thought process in place, adding:
"The best thing about youngsters in our team is that when you talk to them, no one looks confused, overawed."
Meanwhile, India have dominated Australia in Test cricket in the recent past. They have emerged victoriously in the last four editions of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. They also have a chance of completing a hat-trick of Test series victories on Australian soil.