"Give him the opportunity" - Dinesh Karthik wants India to play Suryakumar Yadav in Test series opener vs Australia

Veteran keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik believes India should pick Suryakumar Yadav in the playing XI for the first Test of their upcoming four-match home series against Australia.

Karthik pointed out that with Shreyas Iyer ruled out of the encounter due to a back injury, Suryakumar could be India's best bet. He noted that the dynamic batter is in spectacular form, and his ability to play spinners well will be an added advantage on spin-friendly tracks.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, he said:

"In case Shreyas Iyer is not fit, there is going to be a toss-up between Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill. I personally feel we should play Suryakumar because he is a great player of spin and we are going to play on some interesting wickets that are going to support spin. Give him the opportunity. He has been in red-hot form."

Notably, Suryakumar appears to be the top contender to replace Iyer in the side for the series opener. However, Shubman Gill has also been in fabulous touch, and the team management could give him the nod as well.

Suryakumar has played in the ongoing season of the Ranji Trophy. The right-handed batter mustered 223 runs from three innings at an average of 74.33 for Mumbai.

He has an impressive record in first-class cricket, having aggregated 5549 runs in 79 matches at an average of 44.75. The 32-year-old has 14 centuries and 28 fifties to his name.

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"It will still be KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma opening" - Dinesh Karthik on India's playing XI for first Test against Australia

Dinesh Karthik further stated that while Shubman Gill has done well across formats, he will still have to wait for his turn in Test matches.

The 37-year-old opined that KL Rahul is likely to be Rohit Sharma's opening partner for the Test series. He mentioned that Gill himself would be aware that the senior opener might get a preference over him during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

On this, Karthik said:

"The beauty of Indian cricket right now is that somebody who's in such red-hot form might not be a starter in a format. I feel that Gill is aware that KL Rahul has obviously had a long lineage and has been around for some time.

"He has done well in tough conditions like those in England. He has not had the best of times in Test cricket in the recent past, but it will still be KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma opening."

The four-match Test series between the two cricketing giants kicks off at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on February 9. India have announced their squad for the first two matches.

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India’s Test squad for the first two Tests against Australia: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.

Note: Ravindra Jadeja’s inclusion in the squad is subject to fitness.