New Delhi: Team India has suffered a major setback before the Test series against England as opener batsman Shubman Gill is likely to miss the first Test of the series due to an ‘internal injury’.
According to Cricbuzz, there is no clarity on the nature of his injury yet. He is probably troubled by a calf, hamstring injury. There is also hope that he will be fit enough to come into the scheme of things sometime during the Test series, which ends only after two and half months, precisely on September 14.
Who can replace Shubman Gill?
Mayank Agarwal
Mayank Agarwal will be the top choice for the opener for India. The right-handed batsman has already earned accolades with his impressive batting from the start of his Test career.
He has scored 1052 runs in 23 innings so far at an average of 45.73. Mayank has smacked 3 centuries and 4 fifties, out of which two were double centuries.
KL Rahul
KL Rahul is another top choice who can replace Shubman Gill in the Test team. Rahul made his international debut through Tests only in 2014 and so far he has scored 2006 runs in 60 innings at an average of 34.58.
Prithvi Shaw
Prithvi Shaw can be another choice after Mayank and Rahul as he has struggled with his batting form last year due to which he was dropped from the Test team. In Vijay Hazare Trophy 2020-21 Shaw emerged as the highest run-scorer with 827 runs in 8 matches.
Wriddhiman Saha
Wriddhiman Saha can be an interesting choice to replace Shubman Gill in the Test team as he is still a backup wicketkeeper for India for the upcoming Test series against England in August-September.
India and England will be locking horns in the first Test from August 4 while Australia will play England in five Tests later this year in Ashes.
According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, these tours will be the only two series having five Test matches in the second WTC cycle.
As per the report, Australia will tour India in 2021 for four Tests. The ICC has not yet decided on the schedule and the venue for the summit clash.
Teams will play three home and as many away series and the tours which were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the opening WTC cycle will not be carried forward.
India will play 19 Tests while Australia and South Africa will lock horns in 15 matches. England will compete in 21 Tests the most by any team in the second WTC cycle.
ICC has decided to give each Test the same number of points. A tie will give each team six points while a draw will earn them four. 12 points will be given to the winning team for each match while one point can be deducted for slow over rates.
