Rahul Dravid, the head coach of the Indian cricket team, has just given a significant update regarding the availability of opener Shubman Gill for the first match against Australia on October 8th. These two formidable teams will face off at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The Indian cricket team is facing a tough situation before their eagerly awaited World Cup opener against Australia. Shubman Gill is dealing with health problems, and there are uncertainties about whether he’ll be able to participate in this crucial opening match.
Gill, who has been a key contributor to India’s ODI batting lineup, is currently struggling with a severe bout of fever. This has raised questions about whether he will be able to play in the game against Australia in Chennai this Sunday. If Gill can’t make it, Ishan Kishan might step in to open alongside Rohit Sharma.
“He’s certainly feeling better today. The medical team is monitoring on daily basis. We have 36 hours, we’ll see what decision they take. He’s certainly feeling better today. The medical team hasn’t ruled him out as yet. We’ll keep monitoring him on a day-to-day basis. We’ll see how he feels day after tomorrow,” Dravid was quoted as saying by ICC.
Shubman Gill, hailing from Punjab, is undeniably one of the standout batters in India’s current lineup. His journey in international cricket commenced during an away ODI series against New Zealand in January 2019, and since then, he has demonstrated his prowess across all formats.
Recently, in the three-match ODI series against Australia on home soil, the 24-year-old played a pivotal role. While he featured in just the first two matches, his performances were nothing short of outstanding. Gill delivered impressive innings of 74 and 104 in those games. It’s worth noting that India emerged victorious in both of those matches, securing the series win. However, they couldn’t replicate their success in the final match.
Certainly, it’s reasonable that 24-year-old Gill couldn’t take part in the Indian team’s practice sessions on Thursday. This has spurred debates regarding who will accompany skipper Rohit Sharma as the opening batsman in the forthcoming match against Australia. While Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul are strong competitors, it looks like the club management is leaning towards choosing the left-handed hitter. Rahul is likely to be inserted inside the middle order.
In other developments, there’s word that India might elect to include all three spinners in the team – R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav – for the Australia match. This decision is mostly driven by the conditions at the Chepauk pitch, which look to be suited to spin bowling. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are set to be the two fast bowlers, while Hardik Pandya might pitch in with some medium-paced overs.
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