Already reeling after the 0-3 home series whitewash against New Zealand, India are scrambling to deal with the possible absence of skipper Rohit Sharma from the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In this regard, the batting position and form of KL Rahul will be of much interest when India A face their Australian counterparts in the four-day game starting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday.
Rohit may miss the Perth Test starting November 22 for personal reasons, which has prompted the think tank to consider several options to partner Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the order. Abhimanyu Easwaran is the designated reserve opener in the squad but Rahul has also opened the innings abroad, though he has batted in the Indian middle order of late. He is likely to come into the India A XI at the expense of Baba Indrajith. If Rahul bats at the top of the order against Australia A, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad would have to drop down the order.
Rahul was dropped from the XI after the first Test against the Kiwis but after the series debacle, he and Dhruv Jurel – both of whom are part of the Test squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy – were sent early to Australia to get some game time before the series opener in Perth.
Rahul is one of the rare Asian openers to have scored Test centuries in Australia, England and South Africa. Though he was considered surplus to requirements after Sarfaraz Khan hit a 150 in the second innings of the Bengaluru Test, the latter has had no experience in Australian conditions and his prowess in pacer-friendly conditions is debatable.
The Australia A line-up includes seamer Scott Boland, one of India’s tormentors in the World Test Championship final at The Oval last year. He has publicly stated that Rahul will be one of his targets in the game at his home venue.
India A has already lost the first game at Mackay, which made more news regarding an unscheduled ball-change by the umpires. The likes of Easwaran, Gaikwad, B Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal are expected to face a stern examination at the MCG. With Rahul the most experienced Indian batsman on show, his performance is expected to be the biggest talking point.
Jurel is likely to take the wicket-keeping gloves from Ishan Kishan, who was at the centre of the altercation with the umpires over the ball-change at Mackay.