Shubman Gill dropped for Washington Sundar: Will India's Boxing Day Test gamble pay off?

With the Border Gavaskar Trophy poised at 1-1 after three Tests, both India and Australia are taking bold decisions in their quest for a lead. Ahead of the Boxing Day Test, Australia dropped the three-match-old Nathan McSweeney to call up teenager Sam Konstas to the squad. As anticipated, the Kangaroos handed a debut to the youngster at the MCG. India, meanwhile, revealed its cards late as Rohit Sharma announced a surprising change in the Playing XI at the toss. Five batters, three all-rounders, and three seamers comprise the lineup India has presented at the MCG for the thriller. This combination, however, has left Shubman Gill on the bench as the management has opted to play two spin options.

Will India's move to play two spinners aid their victory cause in the Boxing Day Test?

Shubman Gill has not been at his best with the bat, as witnessed across the three innings he has played in Adelaide and, subsequently, the Gabba Test. However, the MCG wicket prepared for the Border Gavaskar Trophy might have been just what Gill needed to claw back into form. Nonetheless, his exclusion has made way for Washington Sundar in the Playing XI. The combination will see the Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma, who has batted at No.6 so far in the BGT, returning to the top order. Meanwhile, Sundar will play as an additional spin option while adding depth to the batting order alongside Ravindra Jadeja.

The trio of all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Washington Sundar, showcase significant batting prowess. Nitish Kumar Reddy, the extra pacer, batted boldly in adverse conditions at Adelaide against the pink ball. Meanwhile, Jadeja was one of the key players helping India avoid the follow-on at the Gabba Test. While Sundar, who played the Perth Test, is yet to deliver with the bat, India is likely banking on his spin abilities to outsmart the Aussies on their home turf.

However, the decision to play two spin options and sacrifice a specialist batter seems reckless on India’s part. The batting order has struggled throughout this edition of the BGT. As seen on the opening day, fielding a batting-heavy Playing XI could have benefited the team on this turf. Moreover, relying solely on seamers on a lively surface makes little sense to observers at the moment. Overall, India is playing with eight batting options and six bowling options, two of which are spinners. The combination may sound promising, but how it fares at the MCG remains to be seen, and the odds are not in the visitors' favor.

Usman Khawaja struggled across the first three Tests, along with his opening partner Nathan McSweeney, against India’s pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah. However, the Melbourne pitch rendered Bumrah ineffective as Khawaja raced to an 89-run partnership with his new opening partner, Sam Konstas. While Konstas fell to Ravindra Jadeja after an impressive half-century on his debut, Khawaja enjoyed his return to form for a significant duration. A reckless shot against Bumrah after a drinks break marked Khawaja’s dismissal at the MCG, but not before he registered his first half-century of the series.

The pitch might have helped young Shubman Gill find his way back to form, much like the Aussie opener. Moreover, at this stage of his career, the batter could have greatly benefited from the confidence boost gained by scoring here. The last time Gill played at the MCG, the young opener scored 45 off 65 in the first innings before adding an unbeaten 35 in the final innings, as India won the match by eight wickets. Notably, even in that contest, India played two spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, who has retired from international cricket on the ongoing Tour. However, India’s victory at the MCG in 2020 came largely on the back of the batters, with Ajinkya Rahane delivering a commendable ton in the Boxing Day Test.

Now that Gill has been excluded from India’s plans at the MCG, it is certain that Rohit will play in the top order. Hopefully, the change in position, combined with the Melbourne pitch, will enable the captain to contribute some impactful runs, a contribution he has yet to make in the BGT. If not, India might dearly miss the presence of a specialist batter in the order. Meanwhile, Sundar, who replaced Gill in the Playing XI, dismissed Marnus Labuschagne on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test for 72 off 145, claiming the third wicket of the day.