India did well in some stretches but overall remained stable and missed countless capitalization opportunities.
India’s defeat in the Border Gavaskar Trophy series has been an eye-opener and has left numerous issues to resolve. They did well in some stretches, but overall they remained stable and missed countless capitalization opportunities.
The problems were in every department, and India relied heavily on individual performances to solve them almost always. There are likely to be several changes, with the team management and selectors taking some big decisions.
We look at four changes we could see after this series loss in Australia.
Rohit Sharma out, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s new partner
If India really wants to take the Test team forward, they should now look beyond Rohit Sharma. The first step towards the transition is to look beyond players who are aging and out of shape and bring new faces into the team. Rohit is not getting any younger, so India must find a new opener to partner Yashasvi Jaiswal.
KL Rahul has had ups and downs but if the team wants to continue with him, they should give him a longer career. His position has changed often, but it has never been consistent. The team should consider all aspects and choose Yashasvi Jaiswal partner accordingly.
Also read: Time to ‘end superstar culture’ as India puts team before individuals
No place for Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli’s fall was beyond expectations and this series has shown that it could end in the longest format. His off-the-line problems are more pronounced than ever, and all of his dismissals followed the same pattern on this tour. His game doesn’t inspire enough confidence and players don’t need to do much to tame him.
If he has to average 20-30, India should give any youngster a chance as he is unlikely to perform worse than Kohli. There is a chance for a young player to improve, unlike Kohli who has shown few signs of improvement. It has no game and we have to look for alternatives.
Shubman Gill at number 5
It may be tough on him, but Shubman Gill should get a new batting position and bat at No. 5. He has had success at No. 3, but hasn’t really gotten that spot despite spending a lot of time at that spot. position. Maybe he should take on older balls more, where he can hit his shots naturally and not get around early threats.
That’s where his prime as a Test batsman could come and be judged in that position. Even if he is number 5, Gill can also take Virat’s place and bat at number 4. At number 3, the team needs someone who has a solid defensive game and can play the new ball for the batsmen to follow. .
Batting promotion for Nitish Kumar Reddy
Nitish Kumar Reddy showed his batting experience with the willow throughout the series but the team batted him too low down the order. His batting value should be maximized and promoted in the batting order. The team can consider him their next No. 5 if they want Gill to take the No. 4 spot.
Nitish’s bowling is already an advantage; Even his bowling can be put to better use. If he plays, Nitish should bat in the order or he shouldn’t play at all. Instead, India should use a specialist instead of expecting him to get things done with bat and ball.
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