Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar OUT!! Gautam Gambhir locks India's playing 11 vs Australia
Published - 20 Nov 2024, 10:47 AM | Updated - 20 Nov 2024, 10:53 AM
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The India national cricket team has reportedly finalized their playing XI for the upcoming first Test against the Australia national cricket team.
Notably, the visitors will go with a lone spinner for the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, which is set to be played in Perth from Friday, November 22.
The selectors picked Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar as the three spin bowling options for the Australia series.
Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav were left out of the squad, while Washington Sundar, who shone with the ball during the recent home Test series, was included.
Ravichandran Ashwin Likely to be Included in India's Playing XI
It is worth mentioning that the team management has backed Ravindra Jadeja as the lone spinner in overseas Tests in recent years. However, the visitors are likely to change things for the Perth Test match. According to a report by Indian Express, Ravichandran Ashwin will get the nod as the only spinner in the playing XI.
The report added that the Indian team management is backing Ravichandran Ashwin, considering more left-handed batters in Australia's playing XI.
Australia is yet to announce their playing XI for the series opener, but Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, and Alex Carey are expected to be in the lineup.
Ashwin has experience in Australia, having played 10 matches across four tours. His performances have improved over time in Australian conditions. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar have impressive stats, but their experience in Australia is limited.
Ravichandran Ashwin in Australia (Batting and Bowling Performance)
| Series | Matches | Wickets | Bowling Average | Strike Rate | 5w | Runs | Batting Average | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-2012 | 3 | 9 | 62.78 | 112.00 | 0 | 163 | 32.60 | 1 |
| 2014-2015 | 3 | 12 | 48.67 | 85.83 | 0 | 113 | 22.60 | 1 |
| 2018-2019 | 1 | 6 | 24.83 | 86.83 | 0 | 30 | 15.00 | 0 |
| 2020-2021 | 3 | 12 | 28.83 | 67.08 | 0 | 78 | 19.50 | 0 |
Nitish Kumar Reddy to Make His Test Debut In Perth
The report further stated that the visitors are expected to pick a combination of three fast bowlers, one seam-bowling all-rounder, and a lone spinner for the playing XI. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep are likely starters, with Prasidh Krishna and Hardik Rajan as backup options.
Nitish Kumar Reddy, who played only three T20I matches for India, is likely to make his Test debut during the Perth match. Reddy was part of the India A squad during the unofficial Tests against Australia A.
Ravichandran Ashwin Must Play -Sourav Ganguly
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly said that Ravichandran Ashwin must be included in the playing XI for the first Test. Ganguly stated that Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar can bat, but Ashwin is mandatory due to the number of left-handers in the Australian team.
"There is no debate, Ashwin must play. Your best spinner must play. In Test cricket, play specialists. Also, against the number of left-handers in the Australian line-up, Ashwin is certain to have an impact, Ganguly told Revsportz.
"Yes, there is [Ravindra] Jadeja and Washington [Sundar], and both bat well, but you must go in with your best spinner in the first Test," he added.
Also read: Nathan Lyon reveals Virat Kohli's never-heard-before 'Federer' story from the 2014 Adelaide Test
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Ravichandran Ashwin Ravindra Jadeja Washington Sundar India National Cricket Team Australia National Cricket Team India vs Australia IND vs AUS Border-Gavaskar Trophy Gautam Gambhir
