MUMBAI: The unavailability of captain Rohit Sharma and No. 3 bat Shumban Gill (fracture in the finger) from the first Test against Australia forced the BCCI on Sunday to ask top-order batsman Devdutt Padikkal, who was touring with the India A squad for two four-day matches, to stay back as a batting back-up.
Pace spearhead and vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah will captain India in absence of Rohit, who informed the BCCI that he needed more time with his wife after the birth of their second child earlier this week.
Bumrah had previously captained India in the rescheduled 2022 Test against England at Edgbaston, a match they lost by 7 wickets.
Paddikal will be added to the 18-member squad in Rohit’s place for the first Test match at the Opus Stadium in Perth. “He is likely to bat at the No 3 spot now,” a reliable source told TOI.
The left-hander, who was recently named in Karnataka’s squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, made scores of 36, 88, 26, 1 for India ‘A’ during the Australia tour.
While these performances aren’t extraordinary, Padikkal’s experience and familiarity with Australian conditions make him the ideal choice as a batting backup. The left-hander had made his Test debut against England earlier this year at Dharamsala and made a 65 while batting at No. 4.
Going by sources, there’s a good chance that Delhi and Kolkata Knight Riders pacers Harshit Rana, who is yet to get the India cap, may make his Test debut in the first Test at Perth.
“Harshit was very impressive in the match simulation at Perth, especially while bowling his bouncers. There’s a good chance that he will make his India debut at Perth,” a source told this paper. Rana has played 10 first-class matches so far, in which he has picked up 43 wickets@24.00, with a best haul of seven for 45 in an innings. The 22-year-old was called as a net bowler during India’s home Test series against New Zealand.
The youngster impressed for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, taking 19 wickets in 13 matches@20.15, with a best haul of three for 24. When he was called up to bowl in the Team India nets just ahead of the third Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Delhi head coach and former national selector Sarandeep Singh had said that Rana is ready for Test cricket.
“If India wants him to play, I would love to see it. If he ends up playing a Test before going to Australia, then it is better for Harshit and for India, too, that they get a good fast bowler,” Sarandeep had said.