In a surprising move, India made significant changes to their playing XI for the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane. Ravindra Jadeja and Akash Deep were included in place of Ravichandran Ashwin and Harshit Rana, sparking debates among former cricketers and experts.
India’s Playing XI Shuffle
After losing the pink-ball Test in Adelaide despite a strong start with a dominant win in Perth, India opted to tweak their lineup yet again. The inclusion of Jadeja as the sole spin-bowling all-rounder marked a return to a tried-and-tested strategy for overseas conditions. This decision sidelined Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests, surprising many.
In the pace department, debutant Harshit Rana, who impressed in Perth but struggled in Adelaide, made way for Akash Deep. Both Jadeja and Akash had been on the bench for the first two matches, waiting for their opportunity.
Expert Reactions to the Selection
Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar expressed his surprise at India’s initial decision to leave Jadeja out of the playing XI in the earlier Tests. “Jadeja has been a proven match-winner in overseas conditions. It’s surprising they didn’t start with him,” Bangar said on Star Sports.
Similarly, former wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta noted India’s inconsistency in team selection, particularly in the spin department. “In the first Test, Washington Sundar played. Then Ashwin came in for the second, and now it’s Jadeja. That kind of inconsistency is unusual. However, it’s good to see Akash Deep getting a chance,” Dasgupta remarked.
Rohit Sharma’s Strategy at the Toss
India captain Rohit Sharma chose to bowl first after winning the toss, citing overcast conditions and a grassy pitch as key factors. “The surface looks a bit soft with some grass cover, and we want to take full advantage of these conditions,” Rohit explained. He emphasized the importance of the match, given the competitive cricket both teams have displayed so far.
The decision aligns with recent trends at the Gabba, where teams bowling first have won five of the last six Tests since 2018. India, too, has fond memories of the venue, having secured a historic series-clinching win in 2021 by successfully chasing down 328 runs in the final innings.
Teams for the Third Test
India XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.
Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
India’s new-look XI and tactical adjustments add intrigue to the third Test as the team looks to bounce back in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
