India Playing XI 1st Test: India vs Sri Lanka – When the selectors announced the team dropping Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, the team selection for the 1st Test against Sri Lanka looked simple. Hanuma Vihari would get in and Shubman Gill will bat at a new position. But a day before the 1st Test, team selection has become Rohit Sharma’s biggest headache. Follow IND vs SL 1st Test Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
With selectors shutting the door on Rahane and Pujara, on his Test captaincy debut, Rohit Sharma will usher in a new era for India’s middle-order. Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari are competing in a three-way race for the middle-order. Even though Gill and Iyer look to be favourites to start while Mayank Agarwal opening with Rohit.
India Playing XI 1st Test: Rohit Sharma’s 3 BIG selection HEADACHES ahead of 1st Test, three-way competition for two middle-order spots – Follow Live Updates
- Who will open with Rohit?
- Shreyas Iyer or Hanuma Vihari?
- What will be bowling combination?
India Playing XI 1st Test: Rohit Sharma’s 3 BIG selection HEADACHES ahead of 1st Test, three-way competition for two middle-order spots – Follow Live Updates
1. Who will open with Rohit Sharma? – Considering the selectors’ plans and Rahul Dravid’s conversation with Shubman Gill for a middle-order option, Mayank Agarwal looks the only option. But Rohit Sharma isn’t so sure. Instead, he chose to keep that a secret for Mohali Test.
“I am a captain and I will prefer everyone. I have no preferences like that but we will see and analyse who is the right guy. We will analyse everything and then take a call. Mayank, Shubman, Iyer, Vihari, all these guys are brilliant. They are the future of Indian cricket. I think we need to give them a solid run to excel in this particular format. It will start from the management with enough support,” Rohit Sharma said.
India Playing XI 1st Test: Rohit Sharma’s 3 BIG selection HEADACHES ahead of 1st Test, three-way competition for two middle-order spots – Follow Live Updates
India Playing XI 1st Test: Rohit Sharma’s 3 BIG selection HEADACHES ahead of 1st Test, three-way competition for two middle-order spots – Follow Live Updates
As per information available with InsideSport, Mayank Agarwal barring any late injuries will retain his opening spot in KL Rahul’s absence. Shubman Gill will play at the No 3 spot after Dravid and selectors had a word with him.
2. Shreyas Iyer or Hanuma Vihari? – The second dilemma is even more complicated. Shreyas Iyer looks to be in good form and so does Hanuma Vihari. In the only Ranji match, Hanuma scored a century and a half-century against Chandigarh besides playing a gritty knock in South Africa. He has been in team management’s plans for over a year but had to lose his place to Ajinkya Rahane at No 5. Now, he is all set to bat at No 6 with Rishabh Pant at No 5.
India Playing XI 1st Test: Rohit Sharma’s 3 BIG selection HEADACHE ahead of 1st Test, three-way competition for two middle-order spots – Follow Live Updates
#TeamIndia Captain @ImRo45 at his hilarious best in the press conference 😄😄#INDvSL | @Paytm pic.twitter.com/0tw6EPFg6V
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 3, 2022
India Playing XI 1st Test: Rohit Sharma’s 3 BIG selection HEADACHES ahead of 1st Test, three-way competition for two middle-order spots – Follow Live Updates
“Look whenever there are changes in the squad, there is always a fresh start for guys that are coming in. It’s never easy. Those guys (Iyer, Vihari) who are going to replace the two guys, have done exceedingly well whenever they have got an opportunity whether it’s first-class cricket back home or India A tours and limited opportunities that they have got playing Test cricket,” Rohit Sharma said.
3. What will be the bowling combination? – Rohit Sharma predicted a typical Indian pitch with assistance to spinners. However, even a day before the match, there was a green tinge on the Mohali pitch. Add the cold breeze in the morning session apart from dew at night, it hints at some swing for seamers early on.
India Playing XI 1st Test: Rohit Sharma’s 3 BIG selection HEADACHES ahead of 1st Test, three-way competition for two middle-order spots – Follow Live Updates
But will that be enough to bring four pacers? Perhaps not. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj will lead the pace attack with two frontline spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin.
“The pitch looks similar to Indian wickets. It will turn but I can’t say if it will on the first day or the third day. That we will have to see. The morning is still cold and the temperature rises to 28 so that is something we will have to keep in mind. As for playing XI, we will analyse and decide that tomorrow,” Rohit Sharma said.
India Playing XI 1st Test: Rohit Sharma’s 3 BIG selection HEADACHES ahead of 1st Test, three-way competition for two middle-order spots – Follow Live Updates
India Playing XI 1st Test:
1. Rohit Sharma (Captain)
2. Mayank Agarwal
3. Shubman Gill
4. Virat Kohli
5. Shreyas Iyer
6. Rishabh Pant (WK)
7. Ravindra Jadeja
8. Ravichandran Ashwin
9. Mohammed Shami
10. Jasprit Bumrah (VC)
11. Mohammed Siraj
India’s Test squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Saurabh Kumar, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohd. Shami, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain).
India Playing XI 1st Test: Rohit Sharma’s 3 BIG selection HEADACHES ahead of 1st Test, three-way competition for two middle-order spots – Follow Live Updates
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