IND v AUS 2020: 'India should go in with five bowlers' - Gautam Gambhir

Former opener Gautam Gambhir has opined that the Indian cricket team should include Ravindra Jadeja in their playing XI for the Boxing Day Test and go in with a five-pronged bowling attack.

He made this observation in a recent edition of the Star Sports show Cricket Connected.

Tune in tonight, to hear @GautamGambhir talk about the changes he would like to see in the Indian side for the 2nd test between AUSvIND. #CricketConnected every Monday at 3 PM and 9PM only on the Star Sports Network. pic.twitter.com/lOCeaXY0sj

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 21, 2020

Gautam Gambhir wanted Prithvi Shaw to open the batting at the start of the series. He was asked what changes he would like the Indian team to make now.

The southpaw responded that he was in favour of Shaw opening in the Adelaide Test because the Mumbaikar had done well in the few matches he had played for India, including a half-century in testing conditions in New Zealand.

"I wanted Prithvi Shaw to start the series because if a player has scored a hundred and two fifties in four Test matches and hit a fifty in the last tough tour to New Zealand, then you start with him, no doubt the form was not good."

Gautam Gambhir observed Prithvi Shaw's confidence seems to have taken a beating. He wants Shubman Gill to be Mayank Agarwal's opening partner, with Cheteshwar Pujara batting at his usual No. 3 spot.

"But now in the type of form he is in, more than the form his confidence is very low, so I will want to see Shubman Gill at the top along with Mayank Agarwal and Pujara at No.3."

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Gautam Gambhir wants Ajinkya Rahane to move up to No. 4 in the batting order

Gautam Gambhir wants Ajinkya Rahane to lead from the front

Gautam Gambhir hopes Ajinkya Rahane takes the additional responsibility of batting at the No. 4 position vacated by Virat Kohli.

"I will want to see Rahane at No.4. I will not want to see Rahane stay at No.5 because if he is the captain now, he has to lead from the front. So, Rahane should play at No.4 in the place of Virat Kohli."

He also wants KL Rahul to take Virat Kohli's place in the playing XI, with Rishabh Pant replacing Wriddhiman Saha as the wicketkeeper-batsman.

"KL Rahul should play at No.5 and Rishabh Pant should play at No.6."

Gautam Gambhir signed off by stating that India should go with five bowlers in the Melbourne Test, with Ravindra Jadeja as an all-rounder at the expense of Hanuma Vihari.

"Jadeja and Ashwin should play at No.7 and No.8 and then three seamers. I will want to go in with five bowlers."

There have been suggestions from multiple quarters that Ravindra Jadeja is likely to replace Hanuma Vihari in the Boxing Day Test if the former has recovered fully from his hamstring injury and blow to the head.

It will be a bold call from the Indian team if they take that route, especially after the batting debacle in the Adelaide Test.

A BCCI source said that If Ravindra Jadeja gets fit to bowl long spells, then there is no debate at all for his inclusion. He'll replace Hanuma Vihari on the basis of his all round skills. It also gives Indian an option to play five bowlers at the MCG. (To PTI).

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 21, 2020