KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel will play India A's second match against Australia A.

Senior batsman KL Rahul and reserve keeper Dhruv Jurel will travel to Australia for the second 'unofficial Test' between India A and Australia A starting at the MCG from November 7, to give them some time before the first match in Perth from November 22. Could. Rahul and Jurel were part of the Indian squad for the New Zealand series, but Jurel played the opening match before being dropped from the playing eleven, while Jurel, who made his debut against England earlier this year, did not get a match after Rishabh Pant. Got it. Come back.

The Indian team management wants to give everyone a fair chance to get game time under their belt, especially the reserves who could come into action anytime in the marathon seven-week series.

The unprecedented series defeats against Sri Lanka and New Zealand have put Gautam Gambhir under immense pressure, barely three months after his appointment as the head coach of the Indian team.

Amidst much fanfare he was appointed to the top post and was also given a rare seat in the selection committee meeting for the tour of Australia. However, his early report card clearly shows that things are not looking good for the former India opener.

Unless there is a significant change down the line, Gambhir, who was given a free hand in selection matters, will not be able to play much of a role on team-related issues in the times to come.

Soon after Gambhir took charge, India lost an ODI series to Sri Lanka for the first time in 27 years, and then New Zealand whitewashed his team 3-0 in the home Test on Sunday, something the team has never experienced before. Had done. Its a long cricket journey.

While the coach can only do so much, questions remain about Mumbai's lack of prudence in going for a rank turner despite now knowing that the top order has failed repeatedly over the last six to seven years against quality spin. are being raised. Bowling on wickets that give good turn.

Even Gambhir's philosophy of playing the same way, come tough or tough times, is something that people closely associated with Indian cricket have failed to understand.

The decision to send fast bowler Mohammad Siraj as night-watchman on the second evening of the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai and sending Sarfaraz Khan at number eight in the first innings are some of the strategic steps on which everyone is raising questions.

“Gautam Gambhir was given access that his predecessors Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid did not have. The BCCI rule book does not allow coaches to be part of the selection committee meetings, but there was an exception for the selection meeting of the Australia tour. Was created.”

“Considering the grandeur of the tour, the head coach was allowed to attend,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.