Cheteshwar Pujara, the current wall of Indian batting on the previous two tours of Australia, feels the opening combination should not be tinkered with after a 295-run win in the series opener. Shubman Gill who missed out on the first Test due to an injury is also expected to make his appearance in the second match
Cheteshwar Pujara (Pic: File Pic)
Ahead of the second Test match against Australia, Team India's veteran Cheteshwar Pujara feels that KL Rahul should open along with Yashasvi Jaiswal despite the arrival of skipper Rohit Sharma.
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Rohit Sharma's absence from the first Test match allowed Team India to move KL Rahul to the top spot from the middle order.
Cheteshwar Pujara, the current wall of Indian batting on the previous two tours of Australia, feels the opening combination should not be tinkered with after a 295-run win in the series opener.
Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a remarkable century, whereas KL Rahul on the other hand was quite impressive, collecting 26 and 77 in the two innings in Perth.
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"I think, for some reason if we can carry on with the same batting order, like KL and Yashasvi to open, Rohit could come in at three, and Shubman could come in at five," Pujara said in a chat with ESPNcricinfo.
"If Rohit wants to open, KL should bat at No. 3. Nothing later than that. I think he has to bat top of the order, because it suits his game really well. I hope we don't tinker around with that."
Shubman Gill who missed out on the first Test due to an injury is also expected to make his appearance in the second match.
"Ideally No. 5 (for Gill). Because it allows him to come in at a time, even if we lose two wickets early, he is someone who can negotiate the new ball," Cheteshwar Pujara said.
"But if he walks in after, say, 25 or 30 overs, he can play his shots. He can play his natural game. And in case we lose the first three wickets early, Gill walks in and saves Rishabh Pant for the old ball.
"[Pant] doesn't have to face the new ball. I wouldn't want him to walk in to bat when the ball is hard and new," Pujara added.
Gill has opened the batting in Australia but has now moved down to number three. India also plays a two-day warm-up game in Canberra ahead of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide.
(With PTI Inputs)
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