 "Opener & No. 3 Conundrum: Who will be India's top 3 batters in Perth?")
As Team India gears up to kickstart one of the most critical Test series of their season, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the spotlight falls on their unsettled top order. Against a formidable Australian side on their home turf, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The series opener in Perth looms large, and the questions surrounding India’s batting line-up remain as fiery as the contest ahead. Check IND vs AUS 1st Test Day 2 LIVE SCORE AND MATCH UPDATES HERE
India’s campaign begins under the cloud of a demoralising 3-0 home Test series loss to New Zealand, a defeat that sent shockwaves through Indian cricket. Questions were raised, answers were elusive, and the scars of that series still linger. But now, in Australia’s cauldron of hostility, the team has no choice but to rise from the ashes. ALSO READ: Australia vs India 1st Test playing 11, live timing (IST), IND vs AUS streaming
India's top order selection still uncertain
India’s opening order is in disarray with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill ruled out of the Perth Test. The void has left the management scrambling to fill the gaps, and while reports suggest KL Rahul will be tasked with opening on November 22, the uncertainty has left fans and analysts on edge.
The Rahul Conundrum: Opener or No. 3?
Cheteshwar Pujara, a master of batting in Australia’s testing conditions, has weighed in, insisting that KL Rahul should bat at number 3 instead of opening. But Rahul, a veteran of two previous Australian tours, is no stranger to walking out first on these challenging pitches. Having already played an unofficial Test for India A Down Under, Rahul carries both experience and adaptability. Will he rise to the occasion as an opener or be held back for the pivotal one-down slot?
Devdutt Padikkal to bat at number 3?
If KL Rahul opens, the door is wide open for young Devdutt Padikkal to step into the crucial number 3 position. Padikkal, who impressed with a solid 151 runs across four innings for India A, has shown the temperament needed for Australia’s fiery tracks. His inclusion could be the answer to India’s long-standing batting woes, but the pressure of the spotlight is a different beast altogether.
Easwaran’s waiting game
Amid the shuffling, Abhimanyu Easwaran’s dreams of donning the whites for India may remain unfulfilled. Despite an impressive domestic season that earned him a place in the squad, the stars seem to have aligned against him. If Rahul and Padikkal secure their spots, Easwaran might find himself warming the bench for the entire series—a cruel twist of fate for the promising batter.