"Don’t think Gill should be asked to come down the order" - Former chief selector MSK Prasad ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Former chairman of selectors MSK Prasad feels Shubman Gill should open the innings alongside Rohit Sharma in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The four-match home Test series is scheduled to commence in Nagpur on Thursday, February 9.

An untimely injury to Shreyas Iyer has opened up the No. 5 spot. While many reckoned that Gill should bat there, Prasad thinks otherwise.

The former keeper-batter feels KL Rahul, who bats at No.4 in white-ball cricket, should bat in the middle order in Tests as well.

"I would not mind seeing KL Rahul at No. 5 in Tests," he told PTI. "I don’t think Gill should be asked to come down the order. Rahul has played well in 50-over cricket and I see no reason why he shouldn’t come down the order."

The Gujarat Titans (GT) cricketer, who has already represented India in 13 Tests, hasn't batted in the middle order as of yet. Suryakumar Yadav, who is also in the squad as an option, is yet to make his debut.

Gill, meanwhile, has been in incredible form in the limited-overs format since the start of 2023. He has already struck a double hundred in ODI and followed it up with a century in the final T20I against New Zealand in Ahmedabad.

The youngster will hope to replicate his batting form in Test cricket as he aims to be an all-format player.

---

"He is ready" - MSK Prasad picks KS Bharat ahead of Ishan Kishan

MSK Prasad further went on to say that KS Bharat should be picked ahead of Ishan Kishan as the wicketkeeper for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India will miss Rishabh Pant, who was involved in a car accident earlier this year and will be out of action for most of 2023.

Prasad reasoned that Bharat has been groomed as Pant's replacement over the years and deserves a chance ahead of Ishan.

“He (Bharat) has been groomed for this role even in presence of Rishabh Pant for the past two years," Prasad said. "So, it is only fitting that Bharat is given the first chance to don the big gloves. He is ready."

Bharat came out as a replacement for the injured Wriddhiman Saha during the first Test against New Zealand in 2021. He took two catches and stumped Tom Latham off Axar Patel. Three years since his debut India call, the Andhra wicketkeeper-batter is still waiting to make his Test debut.

---