India had to make a few roster changes just a few days before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy match against Australia began. Shubman Gill’s ability to play in the series opener in Perth was seriously doubtful due to a thumb injury, thus Devdutt Padikkal was added to the main team on Wednesday. The Indian selectors were unwilling to take a chance because regular captain and opener Rohit Sharma was already absent.
Gill, who fractured his left thumb during an intra-squad match a few days ago, was mostly a spectator at India’s practice session on Wednesday. Despite bowling coach Morne Morkel’s optimism that he was improving and could still be in contention for the Test starting on Friday, it’s almost inevitable that he won’t be seen in action until Canberra and a two-night warm-up game against an Australian Prime Minister’s XI next week.
Devdutt Padikkal, the tall left-hander from Karnataka who has now been formally added to the Indian Test squad, may be called up for a Test recall as a result of Gill’s tragedy.
Padikkal, who played the four-day matches against Australia A with the India A team in Australia, is scheduled to bat at number three on November 22 at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Padikkal struck an outstanding half-century (63) in his Test debut match against England in Dharamsala earlier this year, but he hasn’t had any opportunities since. India’s Test team for the home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand did not include him.
He played in both of India’s “A” matches against Australia’s “A” over the past two weeks, scoring 88 in the second innings of the first of two losses. On Wednesday, he was leisurely at the nets as hot tracks welcomed Pat Cummins’ team in the morning and India’s batters in the afternoon.The list of India’s reserve players underwent yet another modification. After reserve bowler Khaeel Ahmed, the lone left-arm pacer in the Indian contingent, had to be sent home due to injury, left-arm pacer Yash Dayal, who was a member of India’s T20I team in South Africa, was flown into Australia. Dayal joined India’s other two reserve pacers, Navdeep Saini and Mukesh Kumar.The day-night format second Test will be played at Adelaide Oval under lights from December 6–10, following the series opener in Perth on November 22.
The third Test, which takes place in Brisbane from December 14–18, will subsequently be the focus of fans’ attention. Taking place at Melbourne’s famous Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26 to 30, the series will culminate with the customary Boxing Day Test.From January 3 to 7, the Sydney Cricket Ground will host the fifth and final Test, which promises to be an entertaining conclusion to a highly anticipated series.
