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SPORTS DECEMBER 06, 2024 | The Indian Eye 36

TEAM INDIA DOWN UNDER

Pujara backs Rohit and Shubman back in team

and no change in the pace bowling attacks

Pujara conceded that Washington Sundar’s opening spell started on an underwhelming
note, but his ability to bat puts him ahead of Ashwin or Jadeja

OUR BUREAU
Perth/Mumbai
ndian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara sees
straightaway inclusion of Shubman Gill and
Iskipper Rohit Sharma in India’s playing XI
but feels the opening combination of KL Rahul
and Yashasvi Jaiswal should remain untouched in
the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against
Australia.
After conquering Perth in the series opener
with a record-changing 295-run victory, India will
face Australia in Adelaide in a pink-ball affair
next week.
The victory turned out to be more memo-
rable, with India pulling off a dominant perfor-
mance even in the absence of mainstays.
Rohit missed out on the first Test due to per-
sonal reasons, while Gull sustained an injury on
his thumb, which has left his inclusion subject to
fitness.
As the second Test approaches, discussions
have been going around the possible line-up that Washington Sundar celebrates the dismissal of Australia’s Mitchell Starc during Day 4 of the first Test match against Australia,
India should opt for to continue with their high-fly-
ing momentum. at Perth Stadium, in Perth on Monday (ANI)
Rahul and Jaiswal took the Australian bowl-
ing unit apart under gruelling conditions with a Pujara doesn’t want to see a change in India’s Akash Deep in place of Rana.
record-changing 201-run opening partnership in bowling attack for the second Test of the Bor- “In Australia, it’s very easy to get carried away,
the second innings. Rohit coming in for the sec- der-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia next week. and sometimes when you look at the pace of the
ond Test, could see the duo being disbanded for The India pace trio featuring Jasprit Bumrah, Mo- pitch, it offers a bit more extra bounce... But he
the rest of the series. hammed Siraj, and Harshit Rana ran rampant on was still looking to hit the right spot, good length,
Pujara pondered on what India’s top order Perth’s Test strip. try and hit the top of off, and he has that ability,”
could look like with the possibility of Gill and Ro- Throughout the Test, two of the three quicks Pujara said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
hit slotting into the playing XI. bowled in tandem and wreaked havoc as India “So I think we should carry on with the same
For him, Rahul and Jaiswal should continue conquered Perth with a record-shattering 295-run bowling attack. And Nitish also had a bit of a
with their opening stand; however, if Rohit contin- victory. Bumrah was the architect, while Siraj and bowl. I felt that those four seamers are proper
ues to hold his opening slot, Pujara wants to see Rana executed the devised plan flawlessly to script options, and along with that, Washington Sund-
Rahul bat at number three. a famous win for India in one of the biggest Test ar,” he added.
“I think, for some reason, if we can carry on rivalries. Another talking point of the series opener was
with the same batting order like KL and Yashasvi With Adelaide offering a different sort of chal- Washington Sundar’s spell in the first innings. Pu-
to open, Rohit could come in at three, and Shub- lenge, a change in the look of India’s bowling could jara conceded that Sundar’s opening spell started
man could come in at five. If Rohit wants to open, be on the table, which could ideally turn out to be on an underwhelming note, but his ability to bat
KL should bat at No. 3. Nothing later than that. I the winning formula. puts him ahead of Ashwin or Jadeja.
think he has to bat top of the order because it suits After picking up a three-wicket haul in the “He [Washington] didn’t look really good
his game really well. I hope we don’t tinker around first innings, Rana’s struggle in his second turn was when he started his bowling, but eventually he got
with that,” Pujara said in a chat with ESPNcricinfo. quite evident. He struggled to create an opening a couple of wickets, he varied his pace, so Washy
If one goes by Pujara’s suggestion and sees once the ball turned older. should be our spinner. Because he can bat well.
India’s top order with Rohit-Jaiswal playing the Rana’s sole scalp in the second innings was of The reason he was chosen in this squad is because
opener’s role and Rahul coming in at number Alex Carey, which fell in his kitty after he managed he can bat. It will be important in the second Test
three. Under such a scenario, Virat Kohli would to pierce through the southpaw’s technique. match that, in case we lose a few wickets early if
continue to hold his number four spot, which leaves But Pujara doesn’t want Ravichandran Ash- the lower-middle order needs to contribute, Wash-
Gill’s place in question, if he becomes available. win, Ravindra Jadeja, Prasidh Krishna, or even ington can do that role,” Pujara added.

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