Ex-cricketers suggest potential changes to India's lineup for MCG Test, want Gill to open

As India eye a strong comeback after a humiliating defeat against Australia at Adelaide, former cricketer Glenn McGrath has suggested potential changes in the Men in Blue lineup. Pertinently, India will take the field for the rest of the series without its full-time skipper Virat Kohli as he travels back home for the birth of his first child. Emphasizing on Kohli's absence for the rest of the series, McGrath asserted that other players will have to put their hands up and that might mean KL Rahul could be given a chance. 

Suggesting that KL Rahul might come in for Virat Kohli, the former Australian speedster opted for Shubman Gill to make it to the playing XI in place of out-of-form Prithvi Shaw. The youngster's erratic footwork has left him exposed leading to his failure in both the innings against Australia where he was bowled for 0 and 4, respectively. 

McGrath suggests Gill for Shaw

“Virat Kohli is such an impact player. Without him, it leaves a big hole but at the same time it leaves an opportunity to other players to put their hand up. Maybe KL Rahul can come in for Virat Kohli. The other option India has is Shubman Gill, who actually came out looking positive in one-day series, he didn’t seem to be overawed by the stage, that to me would be one potential change at the top," said McGrath in the post-match show on Sony Sports Network.

Asserting that the management will have to come to Shaw's rescue, McGrath said, "They need to know internally how he’s going. The captain, the coaches, the support staff will have to know that. The thing that I’m worried about is that he got out in the same way in two innings. That is a concern against bowlers like Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc. They gonna come at you always. The internal people will know it." 

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Another former Australian cricketer, Tom Moody also echoed McGrath's views as he stated that Gill should've been picked ahead of Prithvi Shaw in the day-night Test. The former cricketer opined that Indian selectors have failed as they didn't pick Gill for the first Test. 

"Prithvi Shaw is not the one that has failed here, the selectors have failed. He shouldn't have gotten picked to begin with knowing that he's coming into this Test series out of form and also with the technical flaws that have been exposed over a dozen balls. So to me he was set up to fail in a way," Moody told ESPNCricinfo.

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"For me, Shubman Gill should have been the person to play to begin with. His technique is a lot more watertight and he's shown that he's got a wonderful temperament," he added.

Rishabh Pant as the X-Factor?

Meanwhile, former Indian spinner Murali Karthik identified Rishabh Pant as the 'X-factor' that the Men in Blue could bring in to play. Suggesting that Ajinkya Rahane could promote himself to No. 4, Karthik suggested that Pant could be roped into the playing XI without taking away wicketkeeping duties from Wriddhiman Saha. "One more thing can happen is that Ajinkya Rahane who plays up the order in first-class cricket can himself come at No. 4 because of the forced change. You can use Rishabh Pant just as a batsman with the X-factor,” said Kartik on Sony Sports Network.

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“So, these things will have to be seen with interest. Rishabh Pant has not done anything wrong as a batsman so you can play him as a batsman and don’t take the gloves from Wriddhiman Saha. So, that can also happen. It all depends on their thinking,” he added.

India's batting rattled 

Team India created an unwanted record after their humiliating batting performance against Australia in the first Test at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday where neither of the batsmen even managed to reach double figures and were eventually restricted to 36/9.  India have now registered their lowest score in the game's longest format. Their previous lowest score in Test cricket was against England at the 'Mecca of Cricket' Lord's back in June 1974. India were expected to see off the new ball and build their innings in the afternoon session of Day 3, but that was not to be as Australia's new-ball bowlers had other plans which they executed perfectly.

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Pat Cummins' triggered the collapse starting with Bumrah's wicket and Hazlewood chipped in as Australia dominated the Indian batting comprising of stalwarts Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli completely. Chasing a paltry target of 90, openers Matthew Wade and Joe Burns led the hosts to a comfortable win as the Tim Paine-led side won their eighth successive pink-ball Test match.