BGT: Ravi Shastri Picks Surprising Opening Partner For Jaiswal In Potential Absence of Rohit Sharma

The status of Rohit Sharma on whether he will play the 1st Test against Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy is still on tenterhooks. It has been reported that Rohit's wife Ritika Sajdeh is pregnant and the due date of delivery is set to clash with the Perth Test. Amidst the obscurity, the former India head coach, Ravi Shastri, has envisaged Team India's playing XI for the 1st Test and has omitted Sharma, taking into consideration his situation.

Ravi Shastri Names Shubman Gill As The Replacement For Rohit Sharma

If Rohit Sharma opts out from the 1st India vs Australia Test, then the captaincy duties will fall on to the vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah. But the headache won't assuage there. Sharma's absence will bring to light the void in the opening slot. Team India does not have many alternatives available and taking that into view, Ravi Shastri has suggested the name of Shubman Gill for the position. Gill normally comes at number 3, but he has experience in opening as well. The youngster began his international career opening the side for India, that too in Australia. Thus, as per Shastri, Shubman Gill comes in as a valid option.

"That's a tough one and selectors have a choice,” Shastri via ICC Review.

“You can push Shubman (Gill) back up the order and he has opened in the past in Australia.

“Otherwise, you'll have to then make an alternative. Easwaran hasn't done that well (for India A in Australia). But it's how he's batting in the nets, how Rahul is batting in the nets. But that Shubman Gill option is also there."

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Ravi Shastri's XI For The First Test Against Australia

Ravi Shastri's predicted XI: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja/Washington Sundar, Nitish Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj.