Suryakumar, the world’s top T20I hitter, and Indian wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat earned their Test debuts on Thursday in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri gave SKY his debut cap before the first Test at Nagpur’s Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.
In the series opener of the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Thursday, hosts India finally gave white-ball maverick Suryakumar Yadav his first Test cap, ending the lengthy wait for the great player to don the whites. Suryakumar, the world’s top T20I hitter, and Indian wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat earned their Test debuts in the opener of a four-match series between Rohit Sharma’s Team India and Pat Cummins’ Australia at Nagpur’s Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.
Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri, who led Team India to back-to-back away series victories over Australia, gave Suryakumar his debut cap before the ceremonial coin toss in Nagpur. While Suryakumar and Bharat made their debuts for Team India, Todd Murphy was inserted into the Australian squad for the series opener. Nathon Lyon, Australia’s senior spinner, gave Murphy his maiden Test cap.
Speaking during the coin toss, Indian skipper Rohit announced that hosts India will choose three spinners and two seamers in their star-studded playing XI against Australia in the first Test. In-form batter Shubman Gill was not picked to the Indian playing XI, but vice-captain KL Rahul and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja were called up for the series opener against the Baggy Greens in Nagpur.
Rohit said at the coin toss that he recognises the significance of the series, but he also understands that it is about winning one session at a time. It is a lengthy series. He further assured that three spinners, two-seamers, Bharat and Suryakumar Yadav are making their debuts.
India’s opening XI is as follows:
Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Srikar Bharat (w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj.
Australia’s opening XI is as follows:
Pat Cummins(C ), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Matt Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Peter Handscomb, Alex Carey (w), Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, and Scott Boland.