With less than two weeks to go before the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) match between India and Australia, India’s first match is filled with uncertainty. Team captain Rohit Sharma is likely to miss the series opener in Perth due to personal reasons, leaving a void. Abhimanyu Easwaran, one of the contenders for the role, failed to grab a chance in the ongoing India A series against Australia A, leaving the selectors with more questions than Answer.
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Iswaran missed opportunity
Iswaran has been in excellent form in the A-League, hitting four hundreds in his last six first-class matches. His performances have made him one of Sharma’s potential replacements. However, his recent performance in the unofficial Test series against Australia A was disappointing. In Mackay’s first game, he scored just 19 runs, while Iswaran fell for a golden duck in the second game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Michael Neser’s ferocity with the ball rose unexpectedly, but despite the difficulty of the delivery, it left many questioning whether Easwaran was ready for international cricket.
While he handled the ball he faced at the MCG brilliantly, the reality is that Iswaran’s failure to score could prove costly. With India’s top order already under scrutiny, his inability to capitalize on his chances could limit his opportunities in the near future. Considering his performances domestically, Iswaran will no doubt be disappointed as he may have missed out on a golden opportunity to cement his place in the team.
Ruturaj Gaikwad: Another hope dashed
Another potential contender for the starting spot, Ruturaj Gaikwad, also failed in the early stages of India’s A-series. Gaikwad started the first game but failed to make an impact. He was demoted to fourth place in the MCG test, further reducing his chances of starting in the BGT. With Rohit Sharma’s absence still uncertain, Gaikwad’s relegation to the middle-order suggests that the management may have lost faith in him as a viable replacement at the top.
Gaikwad’s struggles mirror Iswaran’s and with just one innings left in the series, it’s unclear who will partner Yashasvi Jaiswal in the first Test in Perth. The lack of clarity over the opening position reflects growing concerns over India’s readiness for the upcoming series.
KL Rahul’s Test struggle
Meanwhile, KL Rahul, who is expected to be the opening batsman for India A, also had a memorable game at the MCG. Rahul lasted just four balls, managing an isolated boundary before being dismissed by pacer Scott Bolan. In Australia, Rahul scored just 187 runs in 47 Test innings at an average of 20.77, and Rahul’s struggles in Australian conditions have been well documented. His recent middle-order form has not been enough to bolster his confidence as an opener, and his failure to capitalize on game time in India’s A-series has only added to the growing uncertainty.
Although Rahul has made centuries in Tests such as England and South Africa in challenging conditions, his recent performances have been inconsistent. His poor performance in India’s A-series, coupled with his poor form as an opener, has led many to wonder if he is the right choice to partner Jaiswal in BGT 2024-25.
The road ahead for Team India
With the first Test at BGT approaching, head coach Gautam Gambhir and the team management are running out of time to finalize their opening combination. The lack of consistent performances from Iswaran, Rahul and Gaikwad leaves a gaping hole in the line-up, and with no practice matches remaining, it’s still uncertain who will line up with Jaiswal in Perth partner.
With just one game left in the India A series and the contenders not getting a chance to prove themselves further, the team management may have to take decisions based on limited data. The fact that not a single potential opener has scored a fifty in the series is worrying and the pressure is on for India to find a solution before the series begins.
