Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023: India and Australia have faced a number of injury concerns ahead of their opening Test to be played from February 9 in Nagpur.
New Delhi,UPDATED: Feb 8, 2023 19:22 IST
IND vs AUS, 1st Test Predicted XI: Will India hand Suryakumar his maiden Test cap? Courtesy: PTI
By India Today Web Desk: Ahead of the Nagpur Test, both India and Australia have faced a number of injury concerns. Shreyas Iyer, who played a crucial role for them in the tour of Bangladesh, won’t be a part of the opening Test due to a back injury. Rishabh Pant is recovering from the multiple injuries he sustained in an accident a few weeks ago.
In their absence, will India give chances to KS Bharat and Suryakumar Yadav as like-for-like replacements? Suryakumar has been a revelation in T20Is, but he is yet to make his Test debut. But having played a couple of decent knocks for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, Yadav must be high on confidence.
Rohit Sharma has returned to opening the batting and it won’t be fair to demote or leave out Shubman Gill, who has been in jaw-dropping form of late. Gill also racked up his maiden Test hundred on the tour of Bangladesh. With the top and middle-order mostly packed, it remains to be seen where former skipper Virat Kohli bats.
Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, two of India’s major weapons, are expected to be in the starting XI. If the hosts decide to go in with three spinners, they have to choose one between Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. Axar has a higher chance of playing since he is more than handy with the bat.
Australia also have plenty of reasons to worry about. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood are yet to regain full fitness after sustaining a finger injury and a left Achilles tendon injury respectively in the home series against South Africa.
Cameron Green hasn’t gained fitness either and won’t be a part of the upcoming game. Australia are most likely to go in with a four-man bowling attack. Skipper Pat Cummins and Scott Boland are most likely to lead the Australian pace attack.
Nathan Lyon will lead the spin department and it remains to be seen who, among Ashton Agar, Todd Murphy and Mitchell Swepson, will partner him. Peter Handscomb also has a chance to make the cut due to the presence of a whole lot of left-handers in the Aussie lineup.
India vs Australia Predicted XI
India
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, KS Bharat (wk), Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami
Australia
David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey (wk), Peter Handscomb, Todd Murphy/Mitchell Swepson, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
