Shubman Gill or KL Rahul? Sanjay Manjrekar names opener to replace Rohit Sharma for BGT

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Mankrekar has named a replacement for Rohit Sharma for the forthcoming India vs Australia Test series. Sanjay Manjrekar talked about three possible players but named his personal best for the top slot. Rohit Sharma will not be available for the 1st Test of India vs Australia series in November.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 will witness the Indian Team travel to Australia in November for a total of 5 games. The Indian skipper will miss the first game and Jasprit Bumrah will take the reins of the Test side. Notably, Bumrah has also led Team India in Test cricket in the past.

With the absence of Rohit Sharma in Australia for the first game, Bumrah can lead the side well. However, the question remains who will be the opener for the side? Notably, Sharma is the regular and one of the best overseas openers for India since 2017, when he got that spot for the first time.

KL Rahul should bat in the middle order, feels Sanjay Manjrekar

During a chat with ESPNCricinfo, former India opener Sanjay Manjrekar was asked whom he feels is a good replacement for Rohit Sharma as an opener. In reply, he named two powerful openers of recent years- KL Rahul and Shubman Gill.

"I wouldn't want to go to KL Rahul because he has not batted in that position long enough. When he batted down the order against England and South Africa as well and he showed that he looked little more confident as well".

"And he has got plenty of opportunity at the top he got a few 100s as well as well but I prefer KL Rahul down the order, the former India opener said.

Also Read: Shubman Gill OUT of IND vs NZ 1st Test? Rohit Sharma's troubles gallop

Shubman Gill should open for India: Sanjay Manjrekar

Sanjay Manjrekar, who is one of the reputed Indian commentators, also backed Gill to open the side for India as he has played many games in that slot.

"And someone like Shubman Gill can come in or may be Abhimanyu Easwaran may be get that opportunity", added Sanjay Manjrekar, who played for India from 1986 to 1997.

Notably, if we go by the timeline when Rohit Sharma bagged a permanent spot in the team as opener under skipper Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan was the other opener. They both played many match-winning knocks for the Indian team.

KL Rahul replaced Shikhar Dhawan as the opener

Later, KL Rahul replaced Dhawan in the opening slot at one end while Sharma retained his opening slot. Rahul also slammed a ton in England in 2021 and in South Africa in January 2022 to back his place in the side.

Later, when KL Rahul faced a thigh injury and could not play for India for a few months in a row in 2023, Gill came to the rescue and grabbed his spot as an opener.

Now, Yashasvi Jaiswal has emerged as the new opener for the side in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 after his fabulous ton in the opener Test in West Indies last year. As a result, Gill has moved to the No. 3 spot. Notably, since Gill slammed a century in the last series, Jaiswal and GIll will be a good pair.