Before the Nagpur Test, Suryakumar Yadav and KS Bharat were given Test debuts.
The Border Gavaskar Trophy has arrived, with hosts India taking on Australia in the first Test match of the series at Nagpur’s Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium. Suryakumar Yadav, Team India’s T20 batting superstar, has made his debut as the middle order enforcer.
Since making his debut against England in 2021, Suryakumar Yadav has been a revelation in the shortest format of the game. The creative batter has ruled the roost in the shortest format of the game, vaulting to the top of the ICC batter rankings in 2022.
However, the mercurial batter is set to make an impact in the game’s longest format after receiving his Test cap from former Indian cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri ahead of the Test series opener. He has been in contention to make his debut since Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the first Test due to injury.
While Iyer recovers from his injury at the NCA, Suryakumar has been tasked with keeping the middle order together, which has been weakened by the absence of Rishabh Pant. Apart from the trailblazing Mumbai Indians batter, Srikar Bharat makes his debut in the game, removing KL Rahul from wicketkeeping duties.
On the first day of the series, the Andhra cricketer received a hug from his mother after being handed his Test cap before the toss. He was chosen over Ishan Kishan, who gave the Indian team a left-handed batting option.
