With the preparations for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 heating up, the teams are finalising their final XIs for the first Test in Perth.
While India have concerns around Shubman Gill and KL Rahul, Australia are set to field a full-strength squad for the first Test. India’s main concern around their line-up involves the No.3 spot for the opening Test with Gill set to miss the match due to a finger injury.
ALSO READ: India playing XI for first Test against Australia
Who will play at No.3 for India? There’s Virat Kohli, who took up the role in the home series against New Zealand, albeit with less success. But Kohli is unlikely to do that in Australia, where India will need him to stand tall in the middle-order.
Then there’s Abhimanyu Easwaran, the backup opener, who could play the No.3 role as a shield. And there’s Dhruv Jurel, the wicketkeeper batter who impressed on the India A tour.
But ironically, possibly their best option at the spot – Cheteshwar Pujara- will be in the commentator’s box for Star Sports, according to latest reports. Pujara is expected to do Hindi commentary during the upcoming series in Australia.
Will India miss Pujara in Australia?
The Australians definitely think so.
“What I do remember, a lot of people talk about Rishabh Pant in the last series in Australia, but the guy who won the series was Pujara,” former Aussie captain Tim Paine on The Grade Cricketer Podcast.
“He wore us down, he wore our fast bowlers down. He kept getting hit on the body, but he kept getting up. There is still a place for that in Test cricket.”
Pat Cummins, the current Test captain, once again reminded India how Pujara wouldn’t just get out.
“They (Rahane and Pujara) both scored some really important innings,” Cummins said.
“It was always great playing against Pujara. He was one of those guys who never really felt like he was getting away from you. But then he would bat, and bat, and bat, and bat.”
“I always really enjoyed the contest against him,” said the Aussie on Pujara. “Some days he won, other days I won. So, it’s going to feel a bit different without him.”
Pujara faced 928 balls in the series which is the most by any batter in the series. But now, he would watch the action from the sidelines, being out of reckoning from the Test side for a while.
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