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India mull new order, Pujara injury scare

3 minute read

Cheteshwar Pujara has been struck on the gloves but returned to batting in the nets as India mull their new-look top six for the SCG Test.

CHETESHWAR PUJARA of India.
CHETESHWAR PUJARA of India. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

India are stewing over how best to rejig their top six to accommodate the return of Rohit Sharma in Sydney, where the fit-again batsman is expected to open.

The tourists, having levelled the series at 1-1 with victory in Melbourne, enjoyed a spirited session in the MCG nets on Saturday.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Prithvi Shaw were both struck on the gloves but appeared to avoid serious injuries.

Pujara, who has scored 63 runs from four innings this series while failing to recapture the form he showed against the same opposition in 2018-19, left the nets for treatment but returned to bat.

The injury scare came a day after Pujara handed the vice-captaincy over to Sharma.

The leadership promotion for Sharma, who missed the opening two Tests because of a hamstring injury, is the latest sign that suggests the veteran will be rushed back into the XI.

Sharma has been released from hotel quarantine in Sydney and linked up with the squad in Melbourne.

The most obvious change to the visitors' top six is for Sharma to replace the out-of-form Mayank Agarwal at the top of the order.

But former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, whose name adorns the trophy that the rivals are playing for, feels selectors should give Agarwal another chance.

"I know he's not looked good but he's a quality player. I would keep him in the side and open the batting with (Agarwal and) Rohit," Gavaskar said on Sony Sports Network.

"Despite the fact that Shubman Gill has looked so good at the top, I'd look to bat him at No.5.

"I'm not too sure that, with his approach, he would be too successful at the opening position ... No.5 would be the ideal position."

Demoting Gill, who earned widespread praise on Test debut at the MCG, would mean dumping Hanuma Vihari.

"The rest of the team (batting order) should remain the same," Gavaskar said.

There is speculation that Agarwal and Vihari could both be axed, allowing India to call up Sharma and KL Rahul.

The tourists will be forced to make at least one change to their XI, having confirmed that paceman Umesh Yadav will miss the rest of the series because of a calf injury.

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