IND vs AUS Test Series: BCCI selector hints at Suryakumar Yadav debut in Rishabh Pant's absence

IND vs AUS Test Series: Suryakumar Yadav set for Test debut? BCCI Selector Sridharan Sharath has hinted at a Test debut for Suryakumar Yadav in the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy. SKY, the World No.1, has been called up to the Test squad for the home series starting in February. With India missing the services of the swashbuckling Rishabh Pant, Surya could very well plug the gap. Follow India vs Australia LIVE Updates on Insidesport.IN

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IND vs AUS Test Series: ‘Don’t forget he has 5000 First Class Runs’ – BCCI selector hints at Suryakumar Yadav debut during Australia series in Rishabh Pant’s absence, says ‘He can take the game quickly away’

While Suryakumar Yadav’s inclusion in the Test squad has raised some eyebrows, Team India selector Sridharan Sharath has explained the rationale behind the decision. The hosts lost the services of Rishabh Pant after his horrific car accident in late December, ruling him out of the series.

Pant has been India’s best bat in Tests in recent times, powered by his aggressive shot-making at home and abroad. In context to Pant’s absence, Sharath said that India does have Suryakumar Yadav in the side who can take the game away from the opposition. The former domestic batting giant also backed KS Bharat, and Ishan Kishan to make their chances count.

“Suryakumar Yadav too can take the game quickly away from the opposition. He has different shots to unsettle an attack. Don’t forget he has over 5000 first-class runs,” BCCI Selector Sridharan Sharath told Sportstar.

IND vs AUS Test series: Will Suryakumar Yadav make his Test debut?

Suryakumar Yadav has been in fine form in 20-over cricket and was named the ICC T20I Player of the Year.
In his short stint with Mumbai, he scored a couple of quick-fire 90s in the Ranji Trophy.
With Rishabh Pant out, SKY could very well take over the role of a middle-order aggressor.
Shreyas Iyer is struggling with an injury, which could give Surya a spot in the side.
However, should his Mumbai teammate be fit, SKY’s Test debut might have to wait.
Unless KL Rahul keeps wickets, only one of Surya, Ishan Kishan or KS Bharat can play.
Bharat has long been the understudy of Rishabh Pant, but Kishan is the more like-for-like replacement for Pant.

India hopes Suryakumar Yadav can bring that aggressive intent to the pitch should he feature. The Mumbai Indians star is in the form of his life. He is the reigning ICC T20I Player of the Year having scored 3 centuries and 13 fifties in just 43 innings.

IND vs AUS Test Series: ‘Don’t forget he has 5000 First Class Runs’ – BCCI selector hints at Suryakumar Yadav debut during Australia series in Rishabh Pant’s absence, says ‘He can take the game quickly away’

However, to fit Surya into the side, Rohit Sharma will have to go a bowler short and rely on just four bowling options. That could lead to only 1 among Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel making the side. Regardless playing a Test with four bowlers could hurt should the match stretch to five days.

The four-match Test series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is also part of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23. Jasprit Bumrah missing the series is a big blow for India as India must win the series 2-0 or 3-1 to qualify for the WTC Final in June. The first Test of the series begins on February 9 in Nagpur. The last two Tests are scheduled to be held across the first two weeks of March.

India squad Australia Series: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.

Australia tour of India, 2023 – Test series
Sr. No.	Date	Match	Venue
1	9^th – 13^th February	1^st Test	Nagpur
2	17^th – 21^st February	2^nd Test	Delhi
3	1^st– 5^th March	3^rd Test	Dharamsala
4	9^th – 13^th March	4^th Test	Ahmedabad