India have completed their defense of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing Test series against Australia. The hosts won the first match by an innings and 132 runs in Nagpur and continued their winning run with a 6-wicket victory in Delhi. The final two tests of the series are planned to be played in Indore and Ahmedabad.
A major talking point from the first two Tests has been KL Rahul’s miserable Test form. The recently married batter has scored 20, 17, and 1 in the three times he has batted in the series so far. As such, a lot of fans and pundits have opined that KL Rahul should be dropped from the Playing XI for a replacement like Shubman Gill.
India are chasing a place in the final of the Test Championships
The margin for error is extremely less for team India because they have a lot riding on the ongoing series. The hosts are chasing a place in the final of the Test Championships to be played at the Oval between 18 and 23 June 2023. Moreover, they are on the hunt for a third-straight Test series victory against the Aussies, having won the last two BGT Test series in Australia.
As such, head coach Rahul Dravid was spotted bowling to Shubman Gill in the nets in Indore ahead of the third Test. Many fans opined that this was enough to suggest that Gill may be in action in the upcoming Test that starts Wednesday. If he does come into the team, it may mean KL Rahul being dropped from the XI.
Interestingly, Rahul was stripped of his vice-captain status in the squads announced for the two remaining Tests of the BGT. The fact that he is no longer the vice-captain makes it much easier for selectors to drop him from the Playing XI. The upcoming Test could end up being a vital one for India who need to win the series 3-0 or 3-1 at least to cement their berth in the Test Championship final.
Here’s how fans reacted to Rahul Dravid bowling to Shubman Gill:
Lagta hai KL Rahul ka patta kat gya
— Cricket Fan 07 (@Manas_pr_sharma) February 28, 2023
Is Gill tapping it around or stepping down and smacking Dravid for 6s? ?
— Arpit Gupta (@Cricfanatic10) February 28, 2023
If he keeps that up, they’ll be calling him The Ball
— Average Dad (@screamsofdad) February 28, 2023
Yeh khelega matlab next test mei?
— Cricket Fan 07 (@Manas_pr_sharma) February 28, 2023
Dada wasted his hidden skill sets behind the stumps.
— I Love Mithunda (@ilovemithunda) February 28, 2023
Was a good off spinner, guess gave up for batting
— 15Degrees (@desigiri82) February 28, 2023
Shubhman Gill will be opening for India in this Test for sure ??
— Nikhil Kamath (@citizenkamath) February 28, 2023
Rohit and Rahul said we'll continue to back KL but i don't think kl gonna play tomorrow
— ? (@ArrestPandya) February 28, 2023
