After horrific end to the test series against New Zealand at home, India did not want to take any risk going into Border Gavaskar trophy and planned 2 unofficial test matches and few practice sessions in preparation.
BGT Preparations: What went wrong and what went India’s way after the unofficial matches
The India A vs Australia A series, though unofficial, serves as a crucial stepping stone for both teams as they gear up for the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy. These warm-up matches provide valuable match practice, helping players fine-tune their skills and adapt to the conditions they’ll face in the upcoming Test series. For India A, it’s an opportunity for emerging talents to stake their claim for a spot in the senior squad, while for Australia A, it’s a chance to assess the fitness and form of their players ahead of the big battle. The competition also offers a glimpse into the strategies and tactics both teams may deploy when the real action begins. While these games may not carry official Test status, they play a vital role in shaping the dynamics and momentum for what promises to be an exciting and closely contested Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Squad for unofficial matches:
India A
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Abhimanyu Easwaran (vc), Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Devdutt Padikkal, Ricky Bhui, Baba Indrajith, Ishan Kishan (wk), Abishek Porel (wk), Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal, Navdeep Saini, Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel.
Australia A
Nathan McSweeney (c), Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Jordan Buckingham, Cooper Connolly, Ollie Davies, Marcus Harris, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Michael Neser, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Jimmy Peirson, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Mark Steketee, Beau Webster.
Following a heavy loss in their opening match in Mackay, which was overshadowed by a contentious ball-tampering incident, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s India A team was bolstered by additional of KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel. Rahul, who played just one Test during India’s disappointing 3-0 series loss to New Zealand at home, failed again to make an impression and managed to score meagre 14 runs across both innings. Meanwhile, Jurel, who remained on the sidelines throughout the New Zealand series, made a strong case for his selection in the upcoming mega event by scoring half-centuries in both innings, leaving his mark with a solid performance.
Rohit Sharma will travel with the first batch of Indian players to Australia.
In preparation for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Team India will travel to Australia in two separate batches. The first group is scheduled to depart on November 10, followed by the second group on November 11. Due to logistical constraints, it wasn’t possible to book the entire squad on a single commercial flight. Sources indicate that India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, will be part of the first batch of players traveling to Australia. However, his departure with the initial group does not confirm his participation in the opening Test against Australia. There are reports suggesting that Rohit and his wife, Ritika Sajdeh, are expecting their second child, which has led to uncertainty over whether the captain will be available for the series opener.
India squad for Border Gavaskar trophy:
Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.
You can also visit the following articles related to The Border Gavaskar trophy: