Rohit Sharma will miss the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy scheduled to begin on November 22 at Optus Stadium in Perth. Reports confirm that Rohit remains in India to welcome the birth of his second child and plans to rejoin the Indian squad before the second Test. This next match is set to take place as a day-night fixture beginning on December 6 in Adelaide.
Prior to this series, Rohit had informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and national selectors about his potential absence for the Perth Test. He also indicated that he might consider last-minute travel, contingent on the timing of the birth. As fate would have it, his wife, Ritika, gave birth on Friday, just a week before the start of the Test, eliminating the possibility of his immediate travel to Perth. Nevertheless, Rohit has confirmed his availability for the two-day warm-up match against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI, which is scheduled to commence on November 30, prior to the pink-ball Test in Adelaide.
In the absence of Rohit, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah is expected to step into the leadership role in Perth. Bumrah has prior experience captaining India, having done so during the fifth Test of the two-part 2021-22 tour of England at Edgbaston when Rohit tested positive for COVID-19.
The Indian team is now faced with the challenge of starting the Test series without two of their key top-order batsmen. Shubman Gill, occupying the No. 3 spot, will also be sidelined due to a fractured thumb. Consequently, KL Rahul and uncapped player Abhimanyu Easwaran have emerged as prime candidates to open the batting alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. However, the situation remains fluid and both players may find themselves included in the playing XI.
Rahul himself faced some injury concerns, exiting the field after taking a blow to the elbow during a practice match against Prasidh Krishna. Fortunately, reports confirm that he returned to the crease the following day and managed to bat for about an hour, alleviating initial concerns regarding his fitness.
In addition to Rahul and Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal stands as yet another option for the top order. Padikkal, who has been part of India A's recent shadow tour of Australia, remained with the Test squad and has one Test appearance for India, which came against England in Dharamsala earlier this year.
With just four days remaining until the first Test, the Indian coaching staff, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir, faces several strategic decisions. This marks India's first overseas Test series under this coaching unit, which also includes Morne Morkel, Abhishek Nayar, and Ryan ten Doeschate. The backdrop of this series carries additional weight as the team is coming off an unprecedented 3-0 whitewash at home against New Zealand, marking India’s first-ever home series defeat of three or more Tests.
Given the absence of both Rohit and Gill, the Indian think tank could consider enhancing their batting line-up by opting to include one of their two seam-bowling all-rounders at the No. 8 spot in the batting order. Nitish Kumar Reddy, known for his batting prowess, hails from Andhra, while Harshit Rana, a bowling all-rounder noted for his pace, represents Delhi. Both players are yet to make their Test debuts, adding an element of intrigue to the team composition.
The Indian squad has engaged in rigorous training sessions this week at the WACA to prepare for the challenges ahead. Following these training periods, the team will transition to the Optus Stadium to finalize preparations for the highly anticipated Test series against Australia.
This series is set to be pivotal in shaping the future fixtures for the Indian Test squad, especially in light of recent performance trends. The absence of key players will undoubtedly test the depth and resilience of the team. Hence, all eyes will be on the decisions made leading up to the first Test and how the players selected will respond to the high-pressure environment inherent in international cricket.
As the clock ticks down to the opening match, the Indian cricketing community awaits with bated breath for the combination of talent and strategy that could potentially set the tone for the remainder of the series against Australia.