India suffers another batting collapse ahead of Border Gavaskar Trophy

India captain Rohit Sharma is very much likely to miss the first Test against Australia in Perth due to personal reasons, leaving a gap at the top of the order. Abhimanyu Easwaran, the 29-year-old Bengal opener, is being considered as his replacement, but his recent performances in Australia have been far from convincing. In the first unofficial Test against Australia A, Easwaran managed scores of just 7 and 12 runs, and in the second match, he was dismissed for a duck in the first innings and made 17 runs in the second. This string of low scores have raised doubts about his readiness to step into the first Test against a formidable Australian side.

KL Rahul, who has also been trialed at the top of the order, faced a similar situation in the second game against Australia A. Rahul, who has been an integral part of India’s Test lineup, played vital knocks in previous series against South Africa and Bangladesh, earning praise from captain Rohit Sharma, who assured him a place in the red-ball format. However, with Sarfaraz Khan impressing in the middle order, Rahul was dropped from the India playing XI for the New Zealand series, as the team management looked to strengthen the middle order. With Rohit unavailable, India faces a key decision in selecting his replacement, considering the recent struggles of Easwaran and Rahul’s shifting role in the squad.

"Don't know what he was thinking!"

Oops... that's an astonishing leave by KL Rahul 😱 #AUSAvINDA pic.twitter.com/e4uDPH1dzz

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 8, 2024

KL Rahul was given an opportunity to open the innings for India A as captain Rohit Sharma will be unavailable for the India vs Australia first Test against Australia in Perth. However, the Bengaluru-born batter failed to capitalize on the chance, managing scores of just 4 and 10 in his two innings. This underwhelming performance has added to the pressure on India’s team management, which is already grappling with the fallout from a humiliating 3-0 series loss to New Zealand.

Since the Bangladesh series, India's batting has come under intense scrutiny, with a lack of consistency at the top of the order. The poor form of senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli has only added to the concerns. In the recent series against New Zealand, both players struggled to make a significant impact, with Rohit scoring just 91 runs and Kohli managing only 93 runs across the three Tests. Their inability to contribute heavily has compounded India’s batting woes, leaving the team with major concerns as they prepare for the upcoming series against Australia.

For India to secure a spot in the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final, they need to achieve a dominant 4-0 series win over Australia. However, with the current form of most of their batters, this goal seems increasingly difficult. While players like Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Sarfaraz Khan have shown promise, consistency remains a major issue. The team's top order continues to struggle, making it challenging to build big partnerships and post competitive totals.

The visiting batters have faced their own challenges, with several failing to make an impact. In the second innings, Sai Sudharsan managed just three runs, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 11, and Devdutt Padikkal contributed only one run. These failures add to the mounting pressure on India’s batting lineup as they look ahead to the crucial Test series against Australia.

With the Indian team scheduled to begin training on November 11, the management is expected to make a decision on the opener's spot in case Rohit Sharma remains unavailable for the Perth Test. Both Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul are in the mix, and their performances during training sessions could determine who gets the nod to fill Rohit's shoes at the top of the order.