Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Gambhir backs Rahul to play multiple roles, no confirmation on Rohit Sharma’s availability for first Test

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Despite below-par performances in the first Test against New Zealand and against Australia ‘A’, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir backed seasoned campaigner KL Rahul.

Despite being under pressure following India’s 0-3 series defeat against New Zealand last week, Gautam Gambhir wasn’t willing to dwell on the past. | Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K

As the Indian cricketers left for Australia early on Monday, captain Rohit Sharma did not travel with the team, fueling speculation about his availability for the first Test in Perth, starting on November 22.

However, India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, expressed hope that the captain would be available for the series opener, although no confirmation had been made yet. “At the moment, there’s no confirmation. We will update you on the situation. Hopefully, he will be available, but you’ll know everything at the start of the series,” Gambhir said during the pre-departure media interaction.

While Gambhir remained non-committal, there are rumors that Rohit may miss the first match due to personal reasons. However, the head coach assured that there are sufficient options if Rohit is unavailable for the Perth Test.

Watch the full press conference here:

| Video Credit: BCCI

“We have (Abhimanyu) Easwaran and KL (Rahul) there, so we will take a call closer to the first Test if Rohit is not available. It’s not that we don’t have options, there are quite a few options. Once we are closer to the game, we will try and play the best eleven that can do the job for us,” Gambhir said.

Rahul has been going through a slump in form recently, managing scores of just 0 and 12 in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru before being dropped for the rest of the series. He also struggled in India A’s unofficial Test in Melbourne last week, scoring only 14 runs across two innings. His performance drew criticism, especially after he was bowled through his legs while facing Australia A spinner Corey Rocchiccioli.

However, Gambhir backed Rahul. “KL Rahul can bat in the top order, he can bat at No. 3, and he can play at No. 6. So, you need a lot of talent to perform all these roles, and he has also kept wickets in ODIs. Imagine how many countries have players like KL, who can open and bat at No. 6 as well,” the coach said, adding, “If needed, he can do the job for us, especially if Rohit is not available for the first Test match…”

Despite the pressure following India’s 0-3 series defeat to New Zealand last week, the head coach was determined not to dwell on the past. “We’re not focused on what might happen in the World Test Championship or whether we’ll qualify [for the final]. Every series is important when you’re representing your country. For us, it’s about two strong teams facing off, and we want to go out there and give our best,” he said.