The Indian cricket team has made a great comeback by taking an invincible lead of 2-0 in the 3-match T20I series after losing the 3-match ODI series by 2-1. However, the Indian cricket fans are quite worried about the 4-match test series as the Indian skipper Virat Kohli will be playing the first test match only after which he will return to India. Virat has been granted paternity leave by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as the Indian skipper wants to be with his wife Anushka Sharma when she gives birth to their first baby.
What makes it more problematic for the Indian squad is the fact that the star batsman Rohit Sharma is also not a part of the team as he suffered hamstring injury during the IPL 2020. Hitman is presently in National Cricket Academy, Bengaluru, and undergoing rehabilitation. However, it is confirmed that Rohit Sharma won’t be playing the first two matches and the decision of him playing the remaining two test matches will be taken only after assessing his fitness in mid-December.
Various cricket experts have given their opinion in regard to which batsmen should play in place of Virat Kohli and recently, the former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra also talked on this matter. While speaking in his YouTube video, Aakash says that KL Rahul and Shubman Gill can be suitable alternatives of Virat Kohli. However, he also says that there is a slight catch as to who will open the innings for India, whether it will be Prithvi Shaw or KL Rahul with the opener Mayank Agarwal.
As per Aakash Chopra, KL Rahul can easily replace Prithvi Shaw if he fails to perform and open the innings. He further says that if he has to choose someone to play in the middle order, his pick will be Shubman Gill and not KL Rahul.
However, Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill both are part of the India A squad for the first practice test match which is being played at the Drummoyne Oval, Sydney, against Australia A. While the India A is being led by Ajinkya Rahane, the Australia A is headed by Travis Head. Both the cricketers Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw were sent for opening the innings but both of them failed in making any impact as they got out for duck.
Who do you think should replace Virat Kohli? Let us know your pick?