3 batters who can replace KL Rahul for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023

Team India were led by KL Rahul during the recently concluded two-match Test series in Bangladesh in the absence of the injured Rohit Sharma. While the visitors managed to win the series by a 2-0 margin, Rahul had an extremely disappointing series with the bat. Opening the innings with Shubman Gill, he registered scores of 22, 23, 10, and two.

The 30-year-old never looked comfortable during his stay out in the middle. While Gill also registered three low scores, he did manage to notch up his maiden Test ton in Chattogram.

Following his failures in Bangladesh, Rahul’s place in the Indian team has come under the scanner. According to media reports, the right-handed batter is set to be dropped for the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka at home, India’s first assignment in 2023. Some experts have also called for Rahul to be axed from the Test team for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in February-March.

According to former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer, Rahul shouldn't be a part of the playing XI if Rohit is fit for the Tests against Australia.

In the event of Rohit making a comeback, Gill is likely to retain his place in the Test team as one of the openers.

We will look at three players who can be added as backup openers in the squad in case Rahul is dropped for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023.

---

#1 Abhimanyu Easwaran

Abhimanyu Easwaran batting for India A. Pic: Getty Images

Bengal captain Abhimanyu Easwaran was added to the Indian team as cover for the injured Rohit during the Test series in Bangladesh.

Easwaran did not get to play a game as India went with Gill and Rahul as their two openers. But in the event of the Indian selectors deciding to take the tough call of dropping Rahul, Easwaran could stay in the team, this time as a backup for the former.

The 27-year-old has been in terrific form with the willow. He led India A during the tour of Bangladesh and starred in both unofficial Tests. Easwaran scored 141 in the first game and 157 in the second. Before that, he had registered scores of 50 and 122 for Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022-23.

Easwaran has an impressive first-class record. Having made his debut in December 2013, he has accumulated 5576 runs in 78 matches at an average of 45.33 with 18 hundreds. He has been knocking on the doors of the Indian selectors for a while now.

---

#2 Priyank Panchal

Gujarat skipper Priyank Panchal. Pic: Getty Images

Gujarat skipper Priyank Panchal may be 32, but he remains among the most consistent openers on the domestic circuit. As Suryakumar Yadav has proved, it is never too late to reward consistency! The right-handed batter has registered scores of 111, 85, 52, and 0 in Gujarat’s two Ranji Trophy encounters in the ongoing season.

Panchal did well in the preceding Vijay Hazare Trophy as well, scoring 354 runs in seven matches at an average of 50.57 with two hundreds. Having made his first-class debut way back in 2008, Panchal has gone on to establish himself as a domestic giant. In 108 matches, he has notched up 7566 runs at an average of 45.30 with the aid of 25 centuries.

The experienced Gujarat batter was named in the Indian Test team for the tour of South Africa at the end of 2021 after Rohit was ruled out due to a hamstring injury. He did not feature in any of the matches as India opened with Rahul and Mayank Agarwal.

The selectors have another opportunity to reward Panchal for his consistency with the willow when they pick the team for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

---

#3 Prithvi Shaw

Out-of-favor Indian opener Prithvi Shaw. Pic: Getty Images

Despite some amazing performances in domestic cricket over the last couple of years, Prithvi Shaw has not been considered for a Test comeback. While selectors have stated that his batting exploits are being monitored, when it comes to team selection, his name has been missing.

Shaw, 23, created history on his Test debut against West Indies in 2018, becoming the youngest Indian Test centurion on debut and the second-youngest Test centurion for India after Sachin Tendulkar. However, he has only played five Tests in his career so far, the last of which came in Adelaide in December 2020, when was dismissed for 0 and four.

Shaw has not had a good start to his Ranji Trophy campaign this year, registering scores of 13, nine, and six in the two matches so far. But overall, he has been highly consistent on the domestic circuit since being axed from the Indian team. He was terrific in the Duleep Trophy, smashing 315 runs in two matches for West Zone at an average of 105 with two hundreds and a fifty to his name.

Overall, the Mumbai youngster has played 38 first-class matches, scoring 3122 runs at an average of 48.03 with 11 and 14 fifties. Shaw also has an impressive average of 52.54 in List-A cricket, having played 53 matches so far.

---