India may have started the new year with a month of bilateral limited overs series, but the four-Test series between India and Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will actually kick in the cricket fever at home that will culminate with the ODI World Cup towards the end of the year.
These four Tests will decide whether India will face Australia one more time, albeit at a neutral venue in England, in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC). With less than 48 hours remaining for the series to commence on Thursday, here’s a look at the major talking points from both the camps.
Batting conundrum
FILE PHOTO: Indian batter Shubman Gill. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Captain Rohit Sharma’s opening partner and injured Shreyas Iyer’s replacement are the two biggest talking points from the India camp ahead of the series, with three contenders for the two slots combined. Vice-captain K.L. Rahul, fresh from a wedding break, and in-form Shubman Gill are the primary contenders for the opening slot.
Despite the duo having a prolonged stint at the start of India’s nets session at the VCA Stadium on Tuesday, the indications are that Rahul will stick to the opener’s slot. It will then boil to either Gill or Suryakumar Yadav being preferred for Iyer’s slot.
With Gill having performed exceedingly well in his limited opportunities across formats, going by the policy of the management of not disturbing the pecking order, he should be preferred over Suryakumar.
Interestingly, head coach Rahul Dravid had a long chat with Gill about facing off-spin bowling during India’s training. Unless there is a drastic change of plan, it looks like Rahul will open the innings and Gill will be pushed down the order, with Rohit reclaiming his opening spot after missing the Bangladesh series.
The third spinner
FILE PHOTO: All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is set to play his first match for India in five months. | Photo Credit: SPORTZPICS
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is set to play his first match for India in five months, realigning with R. Ashwin as the wreckers-in-chief. With the Jamtha strip set to be a rank turner, it is all but given that they will have company in a third spinner.
It will be a toss-up between Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. While Kuldeep has the surprise element as a left-arm wrist spinner, Axar has the additional advantage of being an allrounder.
Add to that the fact that Kuldeep has a five-wicket haul in his last Test outing in Bangladesh and the team management’s job gets even more difficult.
Injury concerns
FILE PHOTO: Australian pacers Mitchell Starc (left) and Josh Hazlewood (right) are set to miss the Nagpur Test due to injuries. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
While India has to deal with combination issues, Australia is struck down with multiple injury blows. As if Mitchell Starc’s absence from the opener wasn’t severe, ace pacer Josh Hazlewood joined the ranks even before Australia arrived here on Monday.
On Tuesday, veteran batter Steve Smith admitted that allrounder Cameron Green, unable to bowl in the first half of the series, is virtually ruled out of the opening rubber.
As a result, Australia is likely to blood Ashton Agar as Nathan Lyon’s spin partner while Scott Boland is likely to be preferred over Lance Morris as captain Pat Cummins’ new-ball partner.
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