The IND vs NZ series was a massive eye-opener for Team India. The runs did not come from the bat of Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli, while Sarfaraz Khan was erratic with just one century in the entire series. Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant shone in patches, while KL Rahul was once again poor in the only match he played in Bengaluru.
The IND vs AUS series is upon us, with the first Test starting on November 22, and if reports are to be believed, players like Virat, Rohit, and other non-performers are expected to be shown the door soon. Now, the million dollar question is, are there batsmen around, who can replace the Indian stalwarts? The answer isn’t a yes or a no, but it is more about giving chances to fresh players.
Abhimanyu Easwaran or Shubman Gill for Rohit Sharma
For now, Yashasvi Jaiswal looks like the only set opener we have. If Rohit Sharma is ousted, then it would be a no-brainer to draft in Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has been scoring heavily in the last few years. The 29-year-old in 100 FC matches has scored over 7600 runs, at an average of 50. Just imagine, the lad has five tons in his last seven matches, including one in Irani Trophy as well.
In this Ranji Trophy season, he scored 127 vs UP, and was on the plane to Australia, for the IND A vs AUS A series. So there are indications, that he would be Rohit’s successor. If Team India does not want to take that route for now, then someone like Shubman Gill is also a decent option. At the top, in 17 innings, he has scored 874 runs, including two tons. So, that is sorted for now.
Tough Virat Kohli Replacement – Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal
Now, on to the larger middle-order problem. Virat Kohli has become a liability in Tests. Jumping straight to the point, Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal are the immediate options that the team has. All three are in the IND A team, and out of them all three have decent performances. Gaikwad had impressed with a ton in the Ranji match vs Mumbai, with 145, and has scored 2518 runs at an average of 42.67.
On the other hand, Sudharsan impressed with a hundred against AUS A, and is in the running for sure. He also has a decent record — in 27 FC matches, he has scored 1945 runs at an average of 43. Padikkal also impressed in the AUS A match, and returned with 36 and 88. So he looks like a contender too. As far as his FC record goes, in 39 matches, he has 2650 runs, at an average of 43.44.
While their FC records might not be the best for now, but until and unless the newer players are not given a chance, it would be impossible to find a suitable replacement for the Ro-Ko duo.
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