Gambhir hopeful of Rohit's availability for 1st Test against Australia
India's men's cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has sounded optimistic about skipper Rohit Sharma's participation in the first Test against Australia. The match will start at Perth's Optus Stadium from November 22. Ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Gambhir held a pre-departure press conference in Mumbai on Monday (November 11) where he answered questions about Sharma's availability.
Gambhir discusses potential replacements for Sharma
Gambhir also spoke about the team's plan if Sharma doesn't play the series opener. He said either KL Rahul or Abhimanyu Easwaran could be possible replacements to open the innings for India. This backup plan shows the coaching staff's proactiveness, making sure they are ready for any situation concerning the availability of the players.
The Rohit Sharma conundrum
After India's 0-3 sweep against New Zealand in Mumbai, Rohit had said he was unsure about playing the series opener against Australia. If he misses out, either Rahul or Easwaran will open with Yashasvi Jaiswal. Notably, Easwaran, who is uncapped in international cricket, managed 0 and 17 in the unofficial Test against Australia A. Hence, Rahul might get a go despite being out of form.
Rahul's past performance in Australia could influence selection
Besides his current form, Rahul's past in Australia could play a role in his selection. The versatile batter has played five Tests in Australia, scoring just 187 runs at an average of 20.77. His highest score was 110 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2015. However, apart from that century, his contributions have been meek.
