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Former India captain Sourav Ganguly reckons top-order batter Shubman Gill's absence is a massive jolt for the side ahead of Perth Test. Gill fractured his thumb while fielding in the two-day match simulations at the WACA Ground. Ganguly backed other batters to step up in Gill and Rohit Sharma's absence in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 opener.
“Shubman’s injury is jolt for the team no doubt as he is an in-form batter and has scored in Australia. A thumb fracture could rule him out for two Tests.
“But I believe the other batters would step up in absence of Rohit (on paternity leave) and Shubman during the first Test. I don’t think New Zealand defeat would have any bearing on this series," Ganguly told PTI.
Ganguly backed young all-rounder Nitish Reddy to replace Gill. While he made it certain that Reddy will not bat at no.3, he said that the fast-bowling all-rounder's inclusion will provide balance to the side.
“Look, there is absolutely no point in playing two specialist spinners either at Perth (Optus) or at the Gabba (Brisbane). You obviously need to find a way to play Reddy in these conditions. He is a good batsman and coming in at lower middle order, it will lend proper balance to the side," the former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President said.
Gill played a crucial role in India's Test series win on Australian soil the last time. He scored a game-changing 91 in the iconic run chase at the Gabba, Brisbane before Rishabh Pant took India home to script history.
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Reddy gets team management's backing
The 21-year-old Reddy bagged just one wicket for India A against Australia in two matches. He did not score a half-century with the bat as well. After a duck in first appearance, he scored 71 runs from three innings. However, he has been backed by the team management, especially on a bouncy track like Perth where Ganguly feels there is no point in playing with two spinners.
Before boarding the flight to Australia, head coach Gautam Gambhir said that they have moved on from Shardul Thakur. Reddy is raw when it comes to international cricket but capable of playing Thakur's role.
