Ravi Shastri’s Support for KL Rahul
Former cricketer and ex-India coach Ravi Shastri has expressed his preference for KL Rahul to continue opening for India in the second Test. Shastri’s stance comes from the lack of time that Rohit Sharma has had to acclimatize to the conditions in Australia, as he joined the squad late. Shastri suggested that India should stick with Rahul in the opening slot, despite the presence of Rohit.
“I think he (Rahul) should carry on (opening) because Rohit has not had much time since he’s come here (Australia),” Shastri commented on the ICC Review. He emphasized that Rohit could slot in at number five or six if needed.
The Dilemma for India Head Coach Gautam Gambhir
India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, faces a dilemma regarding the opening combination ahead of the second Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, scheduled to begin on Friday in Adelaide. The issue revolves around whether KL Rahul or Rohit Sharma should open the innings for India.
Ravi Shastri’s Support for KL Rahul
Former cricketer and ex-India coach Ravi Shastri has expressed his preference for KL Rahul to continue opening for India in the second Test. Shastri’s stance comes from the lack of time that Rohit Sharma has had to acclimatize to the conditions in Australia, as he joined the squad late. Shastri suggested that India should stick with Rahul in the opening slot, despite the presence of Rohit.
“I think he (Rahul) should carry on (opening) because Rohit has not had much time since he’s come here (Australia),” Shastri commented on the ICC Review. He emphasized that Rohit could slot in at number five or six if needed.
Shubman Gill’s Return Adds Strength to India’s Batting Line-up
Apart from the opening conundrum, India will also be bolstered by the return of Shubman Gill, who missed the Perth Test due to a hand injury. Gill quickly made his presence felt by scoring a half-century in the Prime Minister’s XI match.
Shastri noted that with a fit Shubman Gill and a returning Rohit Sharma, India’s batting line-up looks strong. “I would say in the last 10-15 years, of all the sides that have come out to Australia, you get the feeling that this is one of the strongest batting line-ups simply because of the experience,” he added.
Australia Squad for the 2nd Test
- Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.
India Squad for the 2nd Test
- Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.
For more news visit https://kheltak.com/