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Rohit Sharma Out; Nitish Reddy To Debut? India's Strongest Playing XI For Perth Test Vs Australia

Debashis Sarangi

Rohit Sharma and Nitish Reddy [Source: PTI, @CricCrazyJohns/X]Rohit Sharma and Nitish Reddy [Source: PTI, @CricCrazyJohns/X]

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On Friday evening, the BCCI men's selection committee announced a robust 21-member squad, including three reserves, for the upcoming Test series against Australia. Led by Rohit Sharma, India will take on the Aussies in five Test matches in their final assignment of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. 

As India have incurred a disastrous home series defeat versus New Zealand, the Australia Tests hold paramount importance for keeping their WTC final hopes alive. As Rohit Sharma and co. gear up for the high-voltage series, let's see what their strongest playing XI could be for the opening game in Perth. 

Rohit Sharma Doubtful, Will Easwaran Make His Debut?

According to emerging reports, Indian captain Rohit Sharma might miss the first Test in Perth due to personal reasons. If it happens, domestic stalwart Abhimanyu Easwaran will likely replace him as Yashasvi Jaiswal's opening partner at the top order. 

After a string of magnificent performances in India's current domestic cycle, Easwaran received a much-deserved maiden call-up to the Test side. Thus, Rohit Sharma's absence might pave the way for his debut, letting him showcase his batting mettle on Perth's spicy deck. 

Is KL Rahul A Better Bet Than Sarfaraz Khan In Perth?

Sarfaraz Khan had an outstanding start to the ongoing New Zealand Tests, amassing a superb century in the opening clash at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. However, Sarfaraz has some glaring flaws against the moving ball, for which he might be excluded from India's first-choice XI in Australia. 

Despite performing abysmally against the Blackcaps, experienced batter KL Rahul stands a chance to replace Sarfaraz in Perth, thanks to his compact technique against pace and movement. So, it will be a logical move if India prefer KL Rahul and ask him to spearhead the middle order alongside wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and talismanic batter Virat Kohli. 

Nitish Reddy And Ravindra Jadeja: An All-Round Pair Like No Other

Considering Perth's seam-friendly conditions, India might be tempted to hand the promising Nitish Kumar Reddy his debut Test cap. The youngster has impressive numbers with the red cherry, scalping 55 wickets at an average of 26.01 in First-Class cricket. So, he might be India's fourth fast bowling option, with Ravindra Jadeja pipping Ravichandran Ashwin for the spin all-rounder's role. 

Washington Sundar also gives India a dependable all-round option following his exploits in the Pune Test. But given that Perth will assist the pacers significantly, Nitish Reddy could be the frontrunner for India's number eight. 

Regarding the fast bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah, India's potential skipper in Perth, will lead the pace battery with Mohammed Siraj. Although Akash Deep has shown promising signs, India might prefer genuine hit-the-deck bowlers Harshit Rana or Prasidh Krishna for the third seamer's slot. 

India's Strongest Playing XI For Perth Test Vs Australia (If Rohit Sharma Misses Out)

Abhimanyu Easwaran, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah (C), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna/Harshit Rana