India has geared up to meet Australia in the much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. At the WACA Ground in Perth, the opening Test will start on November 22. A few unexpected modifications have been made in the Indian team because of injury issues and absentees of some players, adding up to the thrill that will precede the five-game Test series. The following is the most recent squad update and India’s possible starting XI in the first Test.
Squad Updates for IND vs AUS 1st Test
Rohit Sharma Unavailable
Team India captain Rohit Sharma, will miss the first Test match owing to personal reasons as he welcomes his second-born child into the world. In his place, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah will be lead as captain to the team.
Shubman Gill Ruled Out
Shubman Gill, the promising opener suffered a thumb injury in a practice game thereby ruling himself out of the Perth Test; this has therefore allowed the debut chances of Abhimanyu Easwaran and Devdutt Padikkal.
India and Australia Squads for the 1st Test
India Squad
| Role | Player Names |
|---|---|
| Captain (C) | Rohit Sharma (Unavailable) |
| Vice-Captain (VC) | Jasprit Bumrah |
| Batsmen | Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal |
| Wicketkeepers | Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel |
| All-Rounders | Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy |
| Bowlers | Mohammed Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana |
Australia Squad
| Role | Player Names |
|---|---|
| Captain (C) | Pat Cummins |
| Wicketkeepers | Alex Carey, Josh Inglis |
| Batsmen | Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Nathan McSweeney |
| All-Rounders | Mitch Marsh |
| Bowlers | Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland |
India’s Probable XI for the 1st Test
Based on recent developments, here’s India’s likely playing XI for the Perth Test:
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Openers | KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal |
| Top Order | Devdutt Padikkal |
| Middle Order | Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel |
| All-Rounders | Washington Sundar |
| Bowlers | Jasprit Bumrah (C), Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep |
Key Selection Decisions
Who Will Open With Jaiswal?
With Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill out, KL Rahul is expected to open the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Padikkal or Easwaran for Debut?
Both Devdutt Padikkal and Abhimanyu Easwaran are strong contenders. While Easwaran was initially favored, Padikkal’s stellar form in practice matches makes him a likely choice.
Dhruv Jurel Over Sarfaraz Khan?
Young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel may edge out Sarfaraz Khan, given his impressive performances in the intra-squad matches.
Spin or Seam Heavy?
With Perth’s bouncy pitch, India might field just one spinner. Washington Sundar seems to have an edge over Ashwin and Jadeja, thanks to his ability to contribute with both bat and ball.
Match Details
- Match: India vs Australia, 1st Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25
- Venue: WACA Ground, Perth
- Date: November 22–26, 2024
- Time: 7:50 AM IST
- Live Streaming: Star Sports, Disney+ Hotstar
India’s journey at this stage holds a lot of importance considering they lost 0-3 to New Zealand in their last series held on home soil. When it comes to the final of the World Test Championship 2023-25, everyone will be monitoring the newcomers in this Indian team heading into battle with a strong Australian side that they are currently facing.
