The Indian team faces multiple batting conundrums ahead of the upcoming opening match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). From captain Rohit Sharma missing the competition due to the birth of his second child to No. 3 batsman Shubman Gill’s thumb injury, Indian selectors face a pressing task to fill the top-order gaps ahead of the first Test, scheduled to begin on November 22 in Perth.

The absence of the star batsmen has now forced the management to reshuffle the batting order and it is understood that they are interested in picking up a left field option to bat at the number 3 position. Interestingly, the player did not make the team India launch announced for BGT.

Devdutt Padikkal, who was picked in the India A squad for the two unofficial Tests against Australia A, has now been retained by the Indian board while the rest of the members traveled back.

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Devdutt Padikkal impresses in match simulation

Padikkal had a mixed outing with the bat, scoring 36 and 88 in the first game, followed by 26 and 1 in the second. Interestingly, in the recently concluded ‘A’ series in Australia, he batted at 4 and 5.

However, the 24-year-old was also part of Team India’s recent match simulation at the WACA and impressed the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, a Revsportz report claimed. Young talents Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sai Sudharsan were also part of the match simulation process but the team management could only choose one of the three.

Padikkal’s previous Test experience is known to have worked in his favour. The 24-year-old Karnataka cricketer made his Test cricket debut against England in March this year, contributing a crucial half-century (65) in a match in which India secured victory by an innings and 64 runs.

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