India vs. Australia: Rohit Sharma, the captain of Team India, won’t be able to play in the first ODI between India and Australia at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Stand-in captain Hardik Pandya has made it clear that Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan will open the batting for the Men in Blue when Rohit Sharma isn’t there.
The stand-in captain for Team India, Hardik Pandya, spoke at a press conference before the first ODI. The all-arounder made it clear that young Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan will be trusted as openers by the team’s leaders.
“The first two batters will be Ishan and Shubman. The wicket looks the same at any time of the year. I’ve played here for nearly seven years. Hardik Pandya told reporters before the first ODI against Australia that it would be hard because both teams would have the same number of chances.
“I don’t think we have tried anything new. We will be trying to be a little brave which I think in the last couple of series we have done quite well. All these bilaterals are as challenging, they can get as close to the wire as they can, ” the Indian skipper further added.
In Rohit Sharma’s absence, there was talk that KL Rahul might get another chance to bat at the top of the order. But Pandya’s comment at the press conference has put an end to all of those rumors.
KL Rahul has just recently started playing as a wicketkeeper batter. He usually bats fifth in the order.
Ishan Kishan scored a double hundred against Bangladesh in Chattogram in December of last year. He did this in just 126 deliveries. Kishan’s two-hundred made his case to Team India’s selectors very strong. They might think about putting him as the third opener for the ODI World Cup, which starts in October of this year.
The India vs. Australia ODI series is very important because the Indian team will only play a few more games before the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they will have to choose their best team.
