India Predicted XI for first Test vs Australia: KL Rahul or Shubman, who opens with Rohit?

India and Australia are scheduled to play a four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy (Test series) against each other starting February 9. The first match will be played in Nagpur, followed by Delhi, Dharamsala, and Ahmedabad. Ahead of the highly-anticipated contest, let's check out the predicted playing XI for Team India. 

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: India's predicted XI

One of the key questions doing rounds ahead of the first Test in Nagpur is who will open the batting alongside skipper Rohit Sharma. It is highly likely that KL Rahul will take the field with Rohit at least in the first Test match on February 9. Shubman Gill is also in contention but the chances of him playing the game are slim. Cheteshwar Pujara is expected to take his usual No. 3 spot in the batting order with Virat Kohli coming in at No. 4. 

Meanwhile, white-ball specialist Suryakumar Yadav will most likely make his Test debut in the upcoming series since Shreyas Iyer is injured and has been ruled out of the first two games. Either Ishan Kishan or KS Bharat will don the gloves for India in absence of regular wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Ravindra Jadeja is also set to make a comeback to competitive cricket after a gap of more than five months. He will work in tandem with Axar Patel and R Ashwin, who are also expected to be part of the playing XI for the first Test match.   

1. Rohit Sharma (c)
2. KL Rahul
3. Cheteshwar Pujara
4. Virat Kohli
5. Suryakumar Yadav
6. KS Bharat/Ishan Kishan (wk)
7. Ravindra Jadeja
8. Axar Patel
9. Ravichandran Ashwin
10. Mohammed Shami
11. Mohammed Siraj

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Full squads

India’s Test squad for the first two Tests against Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.

Australia's squad for the Test series against India: Pat Cummins (Captain), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.

Image: AP