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According to Gambhir, one out of Abhimanyu Easwaran or KL Rahul will open for India in the first Test against Australia if Rohit Sharma is not available.
Abhimanyu Easwaran or KL Rahul will open for India in 1st Test if Rohit Sharma is not available. (Picture Credit: AFP)
Without doubts over Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s availability for the first Test of the upcoming five-match series against Australia, Indian men’s cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has said that if the 37-year-old right-handed opening batter misses the first Test in Perth due to personal reasons, then Bengal batter Abhimanyu Easwaran or KL Rahul will open the innings for the Indian team.
Rahul, who has a Test century to his name in Australia, has opened for India in multiple red-ball matches in the past, whereas Easwaran, who is yet to make his Test debut for India, is a specialist opening batter.
“There’s (Abhimanyu) Easwaran; there’s KL (Rahul). So we will take a call closer to the first Test match if Rohit is not available. There are quite a few options in the squad. So, once it gets closer to the first Test match, we will plan the best playing XI, which is going to do the job for us,” Gambhir said during India’s pre-departure press conference in Mumbai on Monday (November 11).
Easwaran and Rahul opened for India A in the second unofficial Test against Australia A, which was played at Melbourne Cricket Ground last week, but failed to score big runs with the bat.
Gambhir was also asked about Rohit’s availability for the series opener at Optus Stadium in Perth from November 22 onwards, to which he said, “At the moment, there is no confirmation. But we guys will let you know exactly what the situation would be. Hopefully, he is going to be available. But everything you will get to know only before the start of the series.”
During the press conference, Gambhir also confirmed that star pacer Jasprit Bumrah will lead the Indian team in the series opener if Rohit misses the first Test.
Bumrah, who sits at No. 3 position in the ICC Test bowler’s ranking, has served as India’s captain in one Test against England in July 2022. In that match, which was played at Edgbaston, he however failed to lead India to a famous win over the English team, which was led by star all-rounder Ben Stokes.
