New Delhi: India head coach Gautam Gambhir flew out of the country on Monday to join the touring team in Australia for their ongoing five-match Test series for the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
He had returned home owing to ‘personal reasons’ after India’s 295-run win in the opening Test at Perth after which he missed the two-day tour game that had to be reduced to 50-overs-a-side due to rain, against the Australia Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra.
Gambhir had flown out of Australia on November 26, the final days of the first Test at Perth. The second Test, a day-night game in Adelaide, begins on December 6, reports ESPNcricinfo.
Selection issues for Gambhir & Co.
During Gambhir’s time away, the support coaching staff of Abhishek Nayar, Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel oversaw the team’s training. India won the tour game against Australia PM’s XI by six wickets.
Young pacer Harshit Rana (4/ 44) and fit-again top-order batter Shubman Gill (50 in 62 balls) impressed in the game even though Rohit Sharma failed to get going after joining the team late following the birth of his second child.
In Rohit’s absence, Jasprit Bumrah led the team with appreciable competence, leading from the front with eight wickets, including five in the first innings.
As full-time skipper Rohit is expected to return to the team and bat in the top-order, Gambhir would have to make tricky discussion over India’s team for the pink ball Test.
Gill has also nursed himself to health after missing the Perth game with a fractured right thumb during training and could also be drafted in into the playing XI.
Gill scored a fifty in the practice game and looked in fine touch. His and Rohit’s inclusions could be in place of Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel.
Gambhir and his coaching contingent would have to decide the opening combination as Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul put together a double-century stand in the second innings at Perth.
If the opening Jaiswal-Rahul pair is left untouched, then Rohit and Gill’s batting position needs to be decided as Virat Kohli is expected to bat at No.4 with keeper-batter Rishabh Pant also a certainty in the middle order.
Gautam Gambhir had returned home owing to ‘personal reasons’ after India’s 295-run win against Australia in the opening Test at Perth Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
