India vs Australia 1st Test: India’s Likely XI Without Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill

India vs Australia 1st Test: India faces a challenging start to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as they prepare to take on Australia in the first Test at Perth, starting November 22. With captain Rohit Sharma staying back in India for personal reasons and Shubman Gill sidelined due to injury, the Indian team will be fielding a revamped lineup, featuring potential debutants.

India vs Australia 1st Test: Absence of Key Players

Rohit Sharma, who recently welcomed his second child, will join the team later this month ahead of the practice game against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill suffered a thumb fracture during an intra-squad game while fielding, ruling him out of the first Test.

In Rohit’s absence, Jasprit Bumrah will lead the team, marking his second stint as Test captain. Bumrah previously captained India against England in 2022.

Opening Dilemma

Yashasvi Jaiswal, after a remarkable debut against the West Indies earlier this year, is a certainty to open. However, the question remains—who will partner him?

KL Rahul, initially a strong contender, has struggled to find form during the warm-up games, managing scores of just 10 and 4 against Australia A. Rahul also had an injury scare during match simulation but has been cleared to play.

Abhimanyu Easwaran, brought into the squad for his domestic performances, is also in contention despite a lackluster show in the practice matches. Easwaran’s solid hour-long stay against the new ball in the match simulation has kept him in the mix. Another name making rounds is Devdutt Padikkal, who scored a century in the first unofficial Test and was asked to stay back with the team.

Middle Order and Lower Order

Virat Kohli will anchor the middle order, with Rishabh Pant likely to take the No.5 slot. Pant’s impressive record in Australia, including a memorable century at the Gabba in 2021, makes him a crucial asset.

Youngster Dhruv Jurel has secured the No.6 spot after an excellent outing in the second unofficial Test, where he scored 80 and 68 on a challenging surface. Ravindra Jadeja will likely be the lone spinner, given the seam-friendly conditions in Perth.

Bowling Attack: Debutants in Focus

India’s pace attack will be spearheaded by Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, with Akash Deep expected to be the third seamer. The fourth bowling slot remains a toss-up between Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Rana, who impressed with his pace and bounce during the IPL 2024, is seen as an ideal fit for Australian pitches. On the other hand, Reddy’s ability to contribute with the bat offers India an all-round option.

Predicted XI

India’s likely playing XI for the first Test:

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
2. KL Rahul
3. Abhimanyu Easwaran/Devdutt Padikkal
4. Virat Kohli
5. Rishabh Pant (wk)
6. Dhruv Jurel
7. Ravindra Jadeja
8. Harshit Rana/Nitish Kumar Reddy
9. Akash Deep
10. Mohammed Siraj
11. Jasprit Bumrah (c)

Tough Start Ahead

With at least one debutant set to feature, India faces a stern test against a formidable Australian side. The absence of experienced players like Rohit and Gill adds to the challenge, but India’s young guns will aim to rise to the occasion at the iconic WACA in Perth.