The Indian cricket team is all set to make some surprising changes to the playing XI for the mandatory Boxing Day Test of the ongoing 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia starting December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG ) in Melbourne.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma is all set to return as opener in the fourth Test against Australia. A Times of India journalist claimed that Rohit Sharma will open the innings alongside young talent Yashasvi Jaiswal in the Boxing Day Test against the Australian team at the MCG.
Read also: Rohit Sharma ousts KL Rahul as opener and completes India's new opening pair for MCG Test
India set to field two spinners in Boxing Day Test; Nitish Kumar Reddy is to be dropped
With this change, KL Rahul is expected to move to the no. 3 in the batting order for the crucial Boxing Day Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne. In a crucial decider for the must-win fourth Test, India are also considering playing two spinners.
Ravindra Jadeja is a safe pick for the MCG clash but Nitish Kumar Reddy will have to make way for Washington Sundar in the playing XI. Nitish Kumar Reddy will be dropped for the much-anticipated clash as India favor Washington Sundar to keep their hopes alive in the ongoing Test series.
Rohit Sharma very likely to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul at number 3. The team is considering two spinners – Washington Sundar could play in place of Nitish Reddy. But it is very likely that Rohit will open at the MCG tomorrow @toisports
— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) December 25, 2024
This decision suggested that the Indian team management expects the Melbourne pitch to favor spin. Well, if India play KL Rahul at No.3, then it will be interesting to see where they host Shubman Gill in the upcoming fourth Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne.
Will it be a right decision to ditch Nitish Kumar Reddy?
Many slammed Rohit Sharma for this selfish call as KL Rahul has been brilliant as an opener so far in the ongoing five-match Test series in Australia. On the other hand, Nitish Kumar Reddy did no wrong in his debut Test series even in such tough conditions.
Also Read: Watch: Mohammed Siraj injures Shubman Gill in nets with lethal delivery ahead of MCG Test
Reddy is currently the fourth highest run-getter in the ongoing BGT 2024-25 with 179 runs in five innings at an average of over 44 and a strike rate of 72. He was also a patter useful for the Indian cricket team, taking three wickets in 27 overs so far in the Australian tour.
So, there is certainly no point in giving up the bowling game for Sundar, especially when the youngster has saved India twice Down Under. Meanwhile, there is uncertainty over Shubman Gill's role in the MCG Test match between India and Australia.
Shubman Gill likely to bat at N.6 in MCG Test
Shubman Gill could be asked to bat at number six, where Rohit Sharma has played in the last two matches, or he could be dropped altogether, with players like Dhruv Jurel or Sarfaraz Khan likely to fill a place in the middle order for the crucial BGT match from MCG.
Given Gill's modest away record of 616 runs in 22 innings at an average of 30.80, his exclusion would not come as a surprise. Even the right-handed batsman could not make an impact in the last two matches, scoring 31, 28 and 1 after missing the first Test in Perth due to injury.