New Delhi: One week before first game Border-Gavaskar Trophy India’s Test against Australia in Perth has been rocked by injuries and availability issues. Shubman Gill Unlikely to play series opener due to fractured thumb and skipper Rohit Sharma Decided to stay with family and newborn for a few more days. Kuala Lumpur Rahul He also got hit by the ball on the first day of simulated play, but management wasn’t too worried about him.
With both Gill and Rohit now missing, the Indian think tank is in limbo, considering Dedutt Padikkar and Sai Sudarsan. Both players were part of India A’s two-match series against Australia A last month and are participating in the ongoing simulated matches in Perth. The rest of the Indian A-League squad is scheduled to fly out of Perth around midnight on November 17, but one of the two classy left-handers is likely to stay.
“The final decision will be taken by the coach, captain and selectors, but the management is likely to ask one of the top batsmen to stay for the series opener. Abhimanyu Iswaran is already there, but One of Yi or Devdut is likely to stay and come back,” said a source following the developments.
Padikkar has enough experience in the rankings and impressed men’s senior selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar, who fast-tracked him for the England Tests. The youngster played just one innings in the series and scored a solid 65 runs. Got off to a solid start and scored 88 points in McKay’s first game.
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Sai Sudharsan was India A’s third in these games and scored a hundred in McKay’s second match. The Tamil Nadu batsman hit a double century in the Ranji Trophy before India A and also hit hundreds in the Duleep Trophy and Surrey County tour.
There is still some time before the first Test begins, but the management is likely to take calls from India A players in the next few hours as they are scheduled to leave the country at the end of match simulation training on November 17.
