India head coach Gautam Gambhir will rejoin the Rohit Sharma-led squad in Australia on Tuesday following his return from the home country. Gambhir has missed the two-day tour game against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI as part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series to attend to some personal matters. Gambhir, who had flown to India due to personal reasons, is set to rejoin the team in Australia on Tuesday, as per a report in ESPNcricinfo.
Gambhir missed the two-day pink-ball tour game against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra, which was reduced to a limited-overs match due to rain, and had left the touring party on November 26, the scheduled final day of the first Test in Perth.
In his absence, support staff members Abhishek Nayar, Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel oversaw the team’s training and preparations for the tour match, which India won by six wickets. Harshit Rana (4-44) and Shubman Gill (50 off 62 balls) made crucial contributions for India in the day-night fixture.
The Indian team arrived in Adelaide from Canberra on Monday afternoon and will have three practice sessions – out of which two will be under lights on Tuesday and Thursday before the pink-ball Test match at Adelaide Oval starting on December 6.
Gambhir now faces critical selection discussions ahead of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India will welcome back full-time captain Rohit Sharma, who missed the first Test to be with his wife for the birth of their second child. Jasprit Bumrah had captained the side in Rohit’s absence, leading India to a dominant 295-run win.
Gill, who was sidelined for the Perth Test due to a fractured thumb sustained during training, is also back in contention. If Rohit and Gill are brought into the playing XI, likely replacing Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel, the team management must address the opening combination. Yashasvi Jaiswal and K.L. Rahul forged a double-century stand as openers in Perth’s second innings, making a strong case to retain their partnership.
The pink-ball tour game in Canberra, though not a full-fledged contest, hinted at Jaiswal and Rahul continuing as openers, Gill slotting in at No. 3, and Rohit batting in the middle-order behind Virat Kohli. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is another certainty in the middle order.
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