GUWAHATI, Nov 21: As Team India get ready for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with the first test of the series getting underway at the Optus Stadium in Perth tomorrow (Nov 22), a lot of debate and discussion has been on the playing eleven, particularly with skipper Rohit Sharma opting out of the inaugural test and Shubman Gill sidelined due to injury.
Nitish Kumar Reddy is also likely to make his debut while Devdutt Padikkal is expected to take over the No. 3 role in Gill’s absence
While Jasprit Bumrah will captain the side in Rohit Sharma’s absence, KL Rahul is expected to open the innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Rohit Sharma had asked himself to be excused for the first test after he and wife Ritika Sajdeh welcomed their second child — a boy — last Friday.
India’s predicted playing XI:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli. Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, R Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah (C) & Mohammed Siraj.
Australia’s predicted playing XI:
Nathan McSweeny, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood & Nathan Lyon.
