Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 (Photo Source: Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images)
Any Test series between Australia and India is always a mouth-watering spectacle to witness. This particular one between the two powerhouses of cricket is poised to be no different. This is mainly due to two reasons – the first instance since 1992 where the two nations will feature in a five-match series as well as the ongoing cycle of the World Test Championship.
However, there lies one crucial undertone that plays a significant influence in the leadup to the highly-anticipated series, and mainly post the cricketing bonanza is done and dusted. This has to do with the fate of certain individuals in the Indian dressing room. A couple of prominent factors, which however obvious, play a vital component in this decision which the think tank might have to consider.
‘Nothing lasts forever; even the longest lives end’ is a famous quote by renowned 14th-century Italian poet and scholar, Francis Petrarch. This citation stands true for some of the players who have played their due part in the Test arena. Below is a list of three players who could retire after the BGT 2024-25, their probable replacements, and the reasons behind the same which are coupled with what each one would bring to the table.
3) Abhimanyu Easwaran for Rohit Sharma
With multiple reports claiming that Rohit Sharma will be a part of the World Cup to be conducted in 2027 with his subject to being fit and at the top of his white-ball game, it could be expected that he calls it a day from Tests following his final assignment being the upcoming BGT. Rohit has already declared his retirement from the 20-over format. His childhood coach, Dinesh Lad, and the current head coach of the Indian team, Gautam Gambhir, have had their say regarding the same too. It could just be the perfect juncture to step down from the Test team once and for all after the conclusion of the tour to Australia.
If there is one player to pick from the domestic circuit over the years who has deserved a regular run in the Indian Test team, it is Abhimanyu Easwaran. Possessing an average of 49.40 throughout 100 first-class games is no mean feat. The skipper of Bengal has been knocking on the door for a long time and should be inducted into the setup at the earliest. Easwaran is more of the typical rock-solid opener who would be mighty useful to negate the potency of the new ball and is more than a viable solution if at all Rohit takes the call to hang his boot in Tests.
Also Check: 3 Players who could lead India in Tests after Rohit Sharma
2) Sarfaraz Khan for Virat Kohli
Ace batter for India since the dawn of time, Virat Kohli, has just not looked in his usual tempo-setting mojo. The hand-eye coordination seems to be waning away, with him getting stuck on the crease way too often. The recent home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand are clear testaments to the aforementioned shortcomings. With him following Rohit’s suit as far as his T20I career is concerned, giving it one last shot in the form of a five-match grill in Australia might be the best alternative for a player whose white-ball expertise would be required at the World Cup in 2027.
The chronicle of Sarfaraz Khan is quite similar to that of Easwaran. However, the only difference is that he has played six Tests more for the nation up until the conclusion of the BGT. One hindrance that is limiting his likelihood of being the first-choice middle-order batter is there being the likes of KL Rahul who has more often than not, been backed due to his experience of playing in foreign conditions. If Kohli does make way from the Test squad, it could open the gates for Sarfaraz to feature as a Test regular.
1) Washington Sundar for Ravichandran Ashwin
Unquestionably, Ravichandran Ashwin is a gem who is not celebrated enough for his unblemished skillset when it comes to the cosmos of Test cricket. He has remained a cornerstone for India for a good 12 years now, especially in home Tests with ball and bat. However, the series against the Black Caps saw Ashwin err in his line & length a bit too frequently, with him getting agitated on not producing wicket-taking deliveries quite often, deviating significantly from his usual calm self. With him already 38 and not a lot of home Tests expected to be scheduled in the following couple of years with the T20 World Cup and the 50-over World Cup in the offing, it would be a logical decision if he signs off from Test cricket post the BGT.
Hailing from the same state as Ashwin, Washington Sundar has all the credentials in his portfolio to become Ashwin’s perfect full-time replacement. Coming on the back of a 43-month-long hiatus from the international red-ball setup, his outing in Pune in the second Test against New Zealand with both ball and bat seemed as if he never missed a beat. He was by far the most potent threat amidst the spin trio, with his batting prowess easily visible in the Tests he played against Australia and England in 2021. With him mastering the art of tight bowling and his enhanced physical fitness and overall strength, he seems like the perfect fit for superseding Ashwin in the case of the latter consciously bowing out.