New Delhi: The Indian team management and selectors have been left with selection dilemmas amid India’s increasing injury woes in Australia ahead of the all-important Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. India are reportedly contemplating asking one of Devdutt Padikkal or Sai Sudharsan to stay back in Australia to ensure they have cover for injured players.
While captain Rohit Sharma is reportedly set to miss the 1st Test in Perth after the birth of his new-born son, Shubman Gill fractured his finger during Team India’s match simulation on Friday and is likely to be ruled out of the series opener. KL Rahul was hit on his elbow while batting during the match simulation and Virat Kohli also faced some injury scare.
In the wake of the injury setbacks and both Rohit and Gill unavailable for the 1st Test in Perth, the Indian team management has been left in a spot of bother. As per a report in the Times of India, the selectors and the team management are contemplating between Padikkal and Sudharsan, one of whom might be asked to stay back in Australia as covers for the Indian team.
Both Padikkal and Sudharsan travelled to Australia with the India A team to play two unofficial Tests against Australia. Both left-handers are also part of the ongoing match simulations with the Indian team in Perth. The India A players are scheduled to fly back to India on Sunday night and there is a high chance that Padikkal or Sudharsan is asked to stay back.
“The final call will be with the coach, captain and selectors but there is a strong possibility of management asking one specialist top-order batter to stay back for the series opener. Abhimanyu Easwaran is already there but one of Sai or Devdutt could well stay back too,” a source was quoted as saying by Times of India.
How did Padikkal and Sudharsan perform for India A?
Padikkal made his Test debut against England in Dharamshala earlier this year and played a solid knock of 65 runs in the only innings he got a chance to bat. The opening batter has been doing well in the domestic circuit for a while now and also did reasonably well for India A on their recently concluded tour of Australia.
Padikkal played a sublime knock of 88 runs in difficult conditions against Australia A in the 1st unofficial Test while most of the India A batters struggled. He finished with 151 runs against Australia A and can be a viable option to open for India in the Perth Test in the absence of Rohit. He can also bat at no.3 to cover up for Gill in his absence.
However, Sudharshan will be more suited for the no.3 role given his recent performances. The talented left-hander was one of the stand-out performers for India A in their practice matches against Australia A where he scored 127 runs in two matches, including a 103-run in the first unofficial Test in Mackay.
Sudarshan was also in top-notch form in the Ranji Trophy where he slammed a double ton against Delhi before heading to Australia with the India A tea. It remains to be seen which southpaw will get the final nod to stay with the Indian team from the team management ahead of the 1st Test against the Aussies in Perth next week.
The selectors and the Indian team management are reportedly contemplating asking one of Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal to stay back in Australia ahead of the 1st Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Perth. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
