Cheteshwar Pujara wants K L Rahul to open the batting alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in the second Test against Australia despite the arrival of skipper Rohit Sharma.
Rohit’s absence in the series opener in Perth allowed India to move Rahul to the top of the order from the middle order. Pujara, the rock of Indian batting on the previous two tours of Australia, feels the opening combination should not be tinkered with after a 295-run win in the series opener.
Jaiswal scored a memorable hundred while Rahul too was impressive, collecting 26 and 77 in the two innings in Perth. “I think, for some reason if we can carry on with the same batting order, like KL and Yashasvi to open, Rohit could come in at three, and Shubman could come in at five,” Pujara said in a chat with ESPNcricinfo.
“If Rohit wants to open, KL should bat at No. 3. Nothing later than that. I think he has to bat top of the order, because it suits his game really well. I hope we don’t tinker around with that.” Gill, who missed the first Test due to a thumb injury, is also expected to feature in the playing eleven in the day-night Test beginning December 6.
“Ideally No. 5 (for Gill). Because it allows him to come in at a time, even if we lose two wickets early, he is someone who can negotiate the new ball,” Pujara said. “But if he walks in after, say, 25 or 30 overs, he can play his shots. He can play his natural game. And in case we lose the first three wickets early, Gill walks in and saves Rishabh Pant for the old ball.
“[Pant] doesn’t have to face the new ball. I wouldn’t want him to walk in to bat when the ball is hard and new,” Pujara added. Gill has opened the batting in Australia but has now moved down to number three. India also play a two-day warm up game in Canberra ahead of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide.
