As India travel from Sydney to Adelaide, a few selection questions will be on top of their minds. The middle-order batsmen – Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari – and the two fast bowlers – Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami – select themselves, but the other five positions are open with equally reasonable arguments for the various options available.
Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw are the incumbents, but India didn’t get a single significant partnership at the top the last time India played a series, in New Zealand. The outsider is Shubman Gill, who will be making his Test debut should he play. All three have batted positively in the warm-ups even though Shaw managed just one decent knock in four innings. The last time they batted, Agarwal and Gill both looked good for hundreds, but the SCG pitch had eased out significantly by then.
At least for the first Test, the middle order is sealed. Rishabh Pant is India’s incumbent wicketkeeper and No. 7 as India have preferred him to Wriddhiman Saha in series outside Asia. The logic for Saha’s inclusion in home Tests is to provide the spinners with a more accomplished gloveman. Pant has been India’s wicketkeeper on their last three tours outside Asia: England, Australia and New Zealand. On the last of those tours, Saha was fit and available. However, Pant has been losing favour gradually this year. It will be interesting to see if that extends to Tests too.