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Gambhir: Rahul could open if Rohit is absent for the first Test
Gambhir: Rahul could open if Rohit is absent for the first Test
Gambhir said one of KL Rahul or Abhimanyu Easwaran or even Shubman Gill are available to open if Rohit doesn't make it.
Gautam Gambhir the head coach of the Indian cricket team expects Rohit Sharma to be present for the first test against Australia in Perth, but if he isn’t able to make it then there are other options he is happy with.
He has already confirmed that if Rohit isn’t able to make it then Jasprit can take his place and will be designed as the vice-captain and will get the designation till Rohit isn’t available.
He took a press conference to release the news and said, Right now there are no such confirmations but will tell you soon about the situation that is gonna be. There are chances that he will be available but there are no such commitments and everything will be clear at the start of the series.
He added that five players have already left for Australia those are Akash Deep Gill, Washington Sunder, Mohammed Siraj and Jaiswal. And the rest of the squad will take off on Monday. It is quite obvious that Rohit is not gonna leave as there is no clarity on when will be ready for the travel.
It was mentioned earlier that Rohit might miss the first Test due to personal reasons, but it's not confirmed yet.
This leads to the question of who will open with Yashasvi Jaiswal if Rohit can't play.
Gambhir said [Abhimanyu] Easwaran and Kl Rahul are also available at the match. So, they are gonna observe in the first match if Rahul is not available. As there are options in the squad it's not like there is none.
"As we near the first Test match, we'll decide on the best playing XI that can help us succeed."
Rahul and Abhimanyu opened the batting for India A in the second four-day match against Australia A, but they both didn't score well. Abhimanyu, who also played in the first match of the series, scored 7, 12, 0, and 17 in the two games. Rahul scored 4 and 10 in his only game.
Before the latest news, Rahul was expected to play as a middle-order batter in Test matches, but with Rohit possibly not playing, Rahul is now back in the running to open the batting.
"There are times when you go with more experienced players. That’s the great thing about him. He can bat at the top of the order, at No. 3, and even at No. 6," Gambhir said about Rahul. "It takes a lot of skill to perform those different roles. Plus, he has also kept wickets in one-day matches."
"Think about how many countries have players like KL who can start the batting and also bat at No. 6. I believe he can handle the job for us, especially if Rohit can't play in the first Test match."
Rahul has lots of experience facing the new ball in foreign conditions and is one of two Asian openers—Saeed Anwar is the other—who have made Test centuries in Australia, England, and South Africa.
Shubman Gill is another option in the squad. He started his Test career as an opener during India's last trip to Australia but has since moved to the middle order.
"We will try to find the best combination that can perform well for us in Perth. Whether it’s Shubman as the opener, Easwaran, or KL, it all depends on what we think is the right mix," Gambhir said.
The Test match in Perth is set to begin on November 22.
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