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Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has selected his playing XI for the first Test against Australia. The veteran cricketer opted to include Suryakumar Yadav at No.5 in place of the injured Shreyas Iyer and slotted three spinners and two seamers to forge the bowling unit.
While there is a small debate over Rohit Sharma's opening partner for the series, Karthik went with KL Rahul over Shubman Gill at the top. Gill has been in tremendous form of late across all formats. He even scored his maiden Test hundred during the tour of Bangladesh in December 2022.
Rahul, on the other hand, has been Team India's designated Test opener since the tour of England in 2021. After getting a chance following a concussion to Mayank Agarwal in the nets, he has not let go of it and has also captained the Test side on multiple occasions.
In terms of the middle order, Karthik went with a rather unanimous pick of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli. As previously mentioned, he slotted Suryakumar in at No. 5, while KS Bharat, another debutant, comes in at No. 6.
The Andhra wicketkeeper's inclusion comes on the back of Rishabh Pant's unavailability. The youngster suffered multiple injuries following a gruesome car crash on December 30, 2022.
Bharat's presence in the predicted XI by the former cricketer also means that there are no left-handed batters in the batting unit. Ishan Kishan is another wicketkeeper option in the side, while Rahul also emerges as a left-field choice.
Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel constitute Karthik's spin bowling unit. He opted to include three finger spinners and left out left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav. The two seamers in the playing XI are Mohammed Siraj and Mohammad Shami.
Dinesh Karthik's playing XI for the first Test against Australia
Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami.
Team India will face Australia in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which starts on Thursday, February 9, in Nagpur.
Is this the ideal Team India playing XI for the opening Test? Let us know what you think.
