Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Rishabh Pant Likely To Pay The Price Of India’s Opening Batting Confusion

IND vs AUS 2nd Test: With just a few days to go for the Pink-Ball Test match, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma’s fates hang in the balance. Two stalwarts of the Indian team who have a part of many victories and losses are fighting out for the same spot, for the position of an opening batsman. Rahul, who predominantly is an opening batsman had been playing the middle order across formats for the past few years, but his performance in Perth has made him the top contender for the opening slot.

India had defeated Australia by 295 runs in Perth, in the opening Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. India were nothing but clinical and left the Aussies clueless for answers. Australians might have undermined the prowess of the Indian cricket team after their 3-0 drubbing against New Zealand at home, but they were not prepared for what eventually transpired in Perth. India were without their regular skipper Rohit and their number three Shubman Gill. India with a 1-0 lead in the series will be bolstered by the return of both Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma. This also means that the Asian cricketing giants will have to tinker a bit with their playing eleven.

Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel, two Indian youngsters can’t blame anybody else but only themselves for their dismal show in the Perth Test. Irrespective of whatever happens around Shubman and Rohit, the duo of Padikkand Jurel will have to sit out for the Pink Ball Test match. Shubman, without any grain of doubt will walk straight into the team and resume his services as India’s number three, but what happens to Rohit and Rahul is a topic of massive concerns. The spoils of Rohit and Rahul’s fate will also spill over to Rishabh Pant and where he bats for India in the Pink Ball Test match.

Much to everybody’s surprise Rahul opened the batting with Yashasvi in the Prime Minister’s XI warm-up game. This has also sparked a few speculations about Rohit not opening the batting for India. The ideal position for Rohit as of now seems to be the number five spot. With Dhruv Jurel out, it will be interesting to see whether Pant walks in before or after skipper Sharma.

Now Australia have never lost a Pink Ball Test match at Adelaide. On the flip side, India have only lost one Pink Ball Test match and it was against Australia at the Adelaide Oval, back in 2020. India have a great headache at their disposal and they might take few surprising calls before the Adelaide Test which might surprise many fans and experts.