With the Border-Gavaskar series set to start from Thursday onwards, veterans, experts and fans have been suggesting their ideal playing XI for India. Former India selector Sunil Joshi too joined the bandwagon on Twitter, but was blasted by fans for picking Suryakumar Yadav ahead of Cheteshwar Pujara for playing XI against Australia in the series opener in Nagpur.
Pujara's spot was never in doubt in the build-up to the series especially after his impressive return to Test cricket in the contest against Bangladesh last December where he had scored an uncharacteristic century. Although, there have been debates on whether to hand Suryakumar his debut cap in the format in a bid to give a touch of aggression to the middle-order line-up in Rishabh Pant's absence.
Joshi admitted that it was a tough choice between the two but added that Suryakumar should get the nod, at No.3, ahead of Pujara in the Nagpur Test.
“Will India line up like this in the first test? Deliberation between Pujara & Surya,a tough draw between both lefties Kuldeep & Axar. Here’s my XI: R Sharma, Shubhman Gill, Surya (should get first look in ), V Kohli, KL Rahul, KS Bharat, R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Kuldeep Y, M Shami, M Siraj,” he tweeted.
{{/usCountry}}“Will India line up like this in the first test? Deliberation between Pujara & Surya,a tough draw between both lefties Kuldeep & Axar. Here’s my XI: R Sharma, Shubhman Gill, Surya (should get first look in ), V Kohli, KL Rahul, KS Bharat, R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Kuldeep Y, M Shami, M Siraj,” he tweeted.
{{/usCountry}}Amid fans criticising Joshi's tweet, a former India cricketer lambasted the ex-selector, questioning his “audacity” to replace Pujara in Test cricket with a debutant.
“One of the ex selectors wants Surya to be chosen ahead of Pujara for tests. Let that sink in. I mean, the audacity to even think that one can replace Pujara with someone who’s yet to play a test, boggles my mind. No wonder poor Pujara has been a scapegoat all his life #BGT2023," Dodda Ganesh tweeted
Meanwhile, KL Rahul hinted that India ate yet to decide on their playing XI for the Nagpur opener with few spots still up for grabs.
“We still haven’t decided on the final XI. It’s going to be a tough decision to make. There are guys who have performed exceedingly well and there are a few spots open so there are a few discussions going on and the players are being spoken to," he said.