Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Enough strategy to chew upon for Indian management over the next few days

India's warm-up match against Prime Minister's XI in Canberra raises questions about team strategy and player positions.

It was a weekend of rain and runs for the Indians at Canberra. The warm-up fixture against the Prime Minister’s XI at the Manuka Oval was touted as the ideal base ahead of the second Test in Adelaide from Friday (December 6, 2024). A two-day tussle under lights and against the pink ball was also seen as a lens to understand how players were primed for the rest of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

In the end, damp skies washed out Saturday’s play while a kind sun and floodlights at night ensured a Sunday (December 1, 2024) contest with its facade of a limited overs skirmish but one that had the depth of a Test match. Among India’s leading stars, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and R. Ashwin, played no role while all the others had their turns either as a batter or bowler.

India won with ease and even tucked into the host’s courtesy and batted the full quota of 46 overs much after going past the winning tape. There were these little stories within perhaps a friendly battle. That K.L. Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal strode out as openers could be seen as a hat-tip to the combined form they revealed especially during their second outing in the first Test at Perth. But does that mean, a rejig is in order?

With Shubman Gill having recovered from an injury and batting well, he obviously slots in at number three, a position earlier strengthened by the broad willows of Cheteshwar Pujara and Rahul Dravid. If the past is a yardstick, then maybe Rohit will continue teaming up with Jaiswal atop the batting tree and yet the Canberra sojourn and the skipper’s meagre three from 11 deliveries, does raise some questions.

The Mumbaikar, all fluid sixes and rapid yields in ODIs, has a lone fifty in his last 10 innings from Tests. To be fair, he did try to dig in on Sunday before chasing one outside the off-stump. Till then Rohit looked his part at the crease. He has always put team over self, and never worries about statistical judgements. It remains to be seen if in the twilight phase of his career, he would go back to the middle-order, counter the old ball and be well set to tackle the new cherry.

Perhaps, with Prithvi Shaw losing his way, in a post-Rohit stage, a Rahul-Jaiswal combine may do the opening honours unless Gill moves up again. There is enough strategy to chew upon for the Indian management over the next few days. That Rohit and Gill are back in the playing eleven with Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel making way, is the presumed reality.

Kohli’s unbeaten 100 at Perth is a good sign and if Rohit can join forces, India will flourish for the rest of the series. Pushed into the opening slot, Rohit had prospered in Tests, maybe he will still do that against a tough rival unless a middle-order foray is what he and the management are looking at for now.