Last Update: February 04, 2023, 11:16 IST
India will be without Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer is also a doubtful start. (AFP photo)
India has started its preparations for the first Test against Australia starting on February 9
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is starting from February 9, in which the players of both the teams are busy in their preparations. Australia are the top-ranked Test team in the world but they know India Has been nearly unbeatable at home in recent years.
Australia last won a Test series on Indian soil in 2004 and will be hoping to end the wait in 2023. The job is easier said than done, however given the challenging conditions their batsmen will have to perform well to give themselves a chance.
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For India, while the spinners will be key, their batsmen will also need to be at their peak given Australia’s world-class attack, which includes skipper Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon.
Rishabh Pant has been one of the key batsmen for India in this format but will miss the series as he recovers from the injuries sustained in a horrific car accident last December. His ability to counterattack made him an invaluable asset, regardless of the match situation or pitch conditions.
However, Pant is not the only batsman India will miss. It doesn’t look like Shreyas Iyer will be fit for the first match of the series in Nagpur due to a back problem.
While Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have arguably been India’s top batsmen across formats, his teammate Ravichandran Ashwin feels it is Shreyas who has now emerged as the batsman in Test cricket.
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“Shreyas Iyer has been India’s go-to Test batsman over the years along with Rishabh Pant. This in itself is a low compliment to him. He has been the backbone of this batting line-up. He is going to be a key player for India in Pant’s absence,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Shreyas was ruled out of New Zealand’s limited overs series with a back injury as he checked into the National Cricket Academy to begin his rehabilitation. While he is part of India’s Test squad for the Australia series, there is no official word from the BCCI regarding his availability.
Ashwin has some update though.
“He (Shreyas) has a back problem and it seems he has taken an injection,” he added.
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