Cricket

Ravi Shastri, India's former head coach, has revealed his predicted playing XI for the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) against Australia in Perth. With regular captain Rohit Sharma likely to miss the match, Shastri believes Shubman Gill should open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.Shastri also suggested that KL Rahul should bat at No. 3, followed by Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and Dhruv Jurel. Jurel, who impressed in the unofficial Tests against Australia A, could play as a specialist batter, according to Shastri.In the middle order, Shastri believes pushing Gill up the order would allow India to strengthen their batting lineup. He also suggested that Ravindra Jadeja should be preferred over Ravichandran Ashwin as the lone spinner in Perth's bouncy conditions.Shastri further proposed that all-rounder Nitish Reddy could be included as the fourth fast bowler, giving India an additional seam-up option alongside Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, and Mohammed Siraj.Shastri emphasized the importance of the opening match in setting the tone for the series, which will be contested over five Tests for the first time. He believes that India should field their strongest possible team to secure a positive start.