Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir is reportedly en route to Adelaide to join the squad ahead of the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test. According to ESPNCricinfo, the former cricketer will take charge of preparations and proceedings upon his arrival late on Tuesday, December 2.
Gambhir had returned to India after the series opener in Perth for personal reasons. The 10-day gap between the first and second Test allowed him to avoid missing any part of the series, although he was unavailable for the pink-ball warm-up game.
In his absence, assistant coaches Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, along with bowling coach Morne Morkel and fielding coach T Dilip, managed the two-day warm-up match against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra.
Gautam Gambhir faces several selection dilemmas ahead of the second Test
While Team India enjoys the comfort of a 1-0 lead, the series is far from over. Despite the near-flawless performance of the playing XI in Perth, the visitors are likely to make changes for the second Test.
Skipper Rohit Sharma’s return after the birth of his first child, along with Shubman Gill’s recovery from a finger injury, makes them strong contenders to rejoin the playing XI. Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel are likely to make way for the duo, but the batting order dilemma remains unresolved.
KL Rahul’s impressive performance in Perth, combined with his solid overseas record as an opener, strengthens his case to continue at the top alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. This leaves a middle-order spot that either Rohit Sharma or Shubman Gill will need to fill to finalize the batting lineup.
The second Test between India and Australia is set to begin on Friday, December 6, at the Adelaide Oval and will be a pink-ball encounter.
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