Padikkal comes in for Rohit Sharma, who’s ruled himself out for the first Test due to personal reasons.
Devdutt Padikkal, who was asked to stay back after India A’s tour of Australia was over, has been added to the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. The southpaw had scored a solid 88 against Australia A earlier in the month at Mackay and had made his Team India debut earlier in the year. With a healthy first-class average of 58.57, Padikkal’s inclusion will help strengthen the batting-depleted team.
Padikkal & Dayal added to India’s squad
According to RevSportz, Yash Dayal, who was part of India’s squad for the New Zealand Test series, has also been added to the squad as a travelling reserve. Team India are already carrying three reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, and Khaleel Ahmed. Right now, it’s unsure whether one of the reserves is injured and exactly why Dayal has been added to the team before the India vs Australia 1st Test.
Paddikal to replace Gill?
Padikkal’s inclusion isn’t shocking. It’s not just that Rohit Sharma is unavailable, but Shubman Gill’s also uncertain to make the Perth Test. Assistant coach Morne Morkel has said Gill’s ruled out yet, but the signs haven’t been great. Yesterday, Team India practiced at the Optus Stadium, and Padikkal was standing at the first slip, a position reserved for Gill. Nothing’s confirmed yet, but this seems like an indication that Padikkal would play at three in Perth and also take over slip duties from Gill.
India’s squad for 1st Australia Test
Jasprit Bumrah (c), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.
Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal
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