Veteran Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, who has been consistently performing well in domestic tournaments, troubled the Australian bowlers during India’s last two tours of Australia. Although Pujara has been out of the Indian team for some time, senior selectors may consider picking him for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. It is reported that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may announce the squad for this five-match Test series on October 28.
The Test series between India and Australia is set to begin on November 22. India will aim to secure a hat-trick of series victories against Australia. If the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, values Pujara’s experience, he could be included in the squad. Recently, the 36-year-old played a knock of 234 runs from 383 balls in the Ranji Trophy against Chhattisgarh, proving his hunger for runs still remains.
Pujara’s Strong Record Against Australia
Pujara has an impressive record against Australia, being the highest run-scorer in the 2018-19 series. During that tour, he faced 1258 balls and scored 521 runs. Three years later, he once again proved crucial for India, facing 928 balls and scoring 271 runs. Pujara stood like a wall against renowned Australian bowlers such as Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc. His last appearance for India was in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) last year, after which he hasn’t been part of the team.
Nitish Reddy Being Groomed as a Pace All-Rounder
Despite a good performance in the series against Bangladesh, Nitish Reddy won’t be part of India’s T20 squad for the South Africa series, as he has been selected for India A’s tour to Australia. Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur, who has returned from injury, has not impressed much. He played a significant role in India’s historic win in the Gabba Test during the last Australia tour.
Will Shami Get a Chance?
Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep have secured their places in the Test team, while players like Avesh Khan and Yash Dayal are also in contention. Experienced pacer Mohammed Shami has recently declared himself fit, but he may not be fully ready for the Australia series, which could see him miss the early part of the series.