Team India head to Australia after the self-inflicted wounds during the home series against New Zealand. Rohit Sharma and his side lost their first ever home Test series for nearly 12 years just before the series. Late on Friday night, the selectors announced the squad to tour Australia and it had some notable absentees.
Mohammed Shami wasn’t included in the team because the veteran pacer wasn’t yet fit. Rohit Sharma had already told the media just a few days ago that the 34-year-old was more or less set to miss the huge tour. The case of Kuldeep Yadav though is different, while he is a mainstay in the White ball format his fortunes in the longest format has been patchy.
Abhimanyu Eeswaran has been rewarded for his stellar show in Ranji cricket. Bengal’s skipper has been in terrific run scoring form which included huge centuries. Harshit Rana has been rewarded as well for his tremendous show in recent times. Rohit Sharma will lead the side as a good blend of youth and experience get ready for a huge tour.
Here are the three players to watch out for from India’s squad for the Australian tour
1- Rishabh Pant
India’s wicketkeeper and batter is set to tour Australia for the third time. Just 27-years-old, Pant is already a veteran in the Test format for India and his experience in come in handy. Pant has made an impression in each of his tours Down Under the last two times. His 159 not out during the Sydney Test in 2019 helped India draw the game. Much bigger impact was made during the 2021 Brisbane Test, as Pant scored 89 not out. This knock helped India seal the series win and also their 2nd successive win in Australian soil.
2- Yashasvi Jaiswal
Opening batter and latest Indian cricket sensation, Yashasvi Jaiswal is the man everyone wants to watch. The left-handed batter has already scored over 1000 runs this year and has been in terrific form. The young opener will love the ball coming onto the bat with the pitches in Australia playing true. The pace on the ball afforded by Starc and Cummins will excite Jaiswal who is very strong on all sides of the wicket. with Rohit Sharma struggling for form, the role and responsibility to give India great starts will lay in the hands of the young batter.
3- Jasprit Bumrah
Australian batters have already named Jasprit Bumrah as the bowler to watch out for in the coming series. The right-arm pacer hasn’t had much impact with the ball during the home series against New Zealand. Bumrah has been a terrific performer in Australia and his previous record suggests that he loves bowling Down Under. His battle against the likes of Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steve Smith in particular will be one to watch out for. If Bumrah can get the Australian top three then India will be unstoppable and one can expect some strong showing during the tour.
Disclaimer: This exclusive news is based on the author’s insights, analysis, and intuition. While reviewing this information, consider the points discussed and form your own conclusions.