The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 is just two days away, increasing the excitement among the players and the fans. The Australian players are looking in full form as the videos of their practice sessions have gone viral on social media. This seems like a worrying sign for India since they have to win the series to qualify for the WTC 2025 finals. Looking at India’s practice sessions, it seems like the players are having fun and enjoying the atmosphere out there, which is very important. Adjusting to the Australian conditions might be tricky for newcomers, but experienced players, especially the pace bowlers, will find it more comforting. For the first Test match, selecting the playing XI will be difficult due to Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma’s absence.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (Wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rishabh Pant (Wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Devdutt Padikkal.
Here’s the predicted playing XI of India for the 1st Test match against Australia:
Top order:
The top-order batters consist of Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, and Devdutt Padikkal. Jaiswal will play his natural game from one end, while Rahul will play the anchor role from the other. The left and right combination sits well for the team, and if the batters score half-centuries and centuries in the first innings, the pressure will fall back on the Australians. Padikkal is likely to play in place of Gill, which will give him a chance to prove his worth and cement his place in the team.
Also Read: Predicting Australia’s Playing XI for their first Test against India
Middle Order:
Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja will form the team’s middle order. The star batters have a tough job to do in Australia, as a lot will depend on how they bat in the middle overs. Without these four batters’ help, India can’t win. Setting a huge total on the board in both innings will be India’s primary aim, and players like Pant, Sarafarz, and Kohli can do it with ease if they settle down on the pitch.
Bowlers:
Considering Australia’s batters, India should go for four main bowlers in the first game. So, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Ravichandran Ashwin can be there. Ashwin and Bumrah will give the team experience, while Siraj and Krishna will get a chance to explore with the senior players. Having Ashwin is around in terms of batting as well.
Disclaimer: This exclusive news is based on the author’s insights, analysis, and intuition. While reviewing this information, consider the points discussed and form your own conclusions.