Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir suggested a series of changes to India's batting order for the Boxing Day Test, which begins on December 26.
India faced a humiliating defeat in the first Test against Australia in Adelaide. After taking an impressive first innings lead, the Indian batting llineup faltered on Day 3 of the Pink Ball Test to register the country's lowest-ever total in Test cricket. Australia restricted India on 36, as the host side cruised to an eight-wicket win.
While India would already be without Virat Kohli for the rest of the series (Kohli will return to India to attend the birth of his first child), the situation was worsened with an injury to Mohammed Shami, who is ruled out for the rest of the series.
Many fans and experts have asked for changes in the Indian lineup after the debacle in Adelaide, and Gautam Gambhir has joined the list, suggesting as many as four changes in the batting order alone.
Gambhir backed Shubman Gill to replace Prithvi Shaw in the opening order, insisting that the Mumbai batsman's confidence is "very low" at the moment.
“I wanted Prithvi Shaw to start the series because if a player has scored a hundred and two fifties in four Test matches and hit a fifty in the last tough tour to New Zealand, then you start with him, no doubt the form was not good,” Gambhir said on Star Sports' Cricket Connected.
“But now in the type of form he is in, more than the form his confidence is very low, so I will want to see Shubman Gill at the top along with Mayank Agarwal and Pujara at No.3.”
While many opinionated on either of Gill or KL Rahul to bat at number four for India, Gambhir believes that stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane should take the role, as he "has to lead from the front."
“I will want to see Rahane at No.4. I will not want to see Rahane stay at No.5 because if he is the captain now, he has to lead from the front. So, Rahane should play at No.4 in the place of Virat Kohli,” Gambhir said.
Gambhir further added that while Rahul should replace Kohli and bat at number five, Rishabh Pant should come in for Wriddhiman Saha.
He also backed Ravindra Jadjea's inclusion for Hanuma Vihari.
“KL Rahul should play at No.5 and Rishabh Pant should play at No.6. Jadeja and Ashwin should play at No.7 and No.8 and then three seamers. I will want to go in with five bowlers,” said Gambhir.
