Gautam Gambhir Receives Big Team Selection Advice For 1st Australia Test: "Even If..."

The legendary Sunil Gavaskar is confident that the stylish KL Rahul can excel on Australian tracks just like he did in South Africa last year. With Rohit Sharma on a paternity break, India have a choice between reserve opener Abhimanyu Easwaran and the seasoned Rahul for partnering Yashasvi Jaiswal in the opening Test starting in Perth on Friday. As of now, the team management is keen on Rahul, who has opened a fair bit for India in Test matches and scored a memorable hundred at Centurion last year. However, he has not been able to find consistency despite featuring in 53 Tests.

"KL Rahul got one of the finest centuries that I have witnessed first-hand in South Africa last year opening the batting, so doing so here again won't be an issue for him.

"Like all batters he will need some luck at the start and if he gets that he can get the team off to a solid opening," Gavaskar told PTI in an exclusive interview ahead of the series opener.

Gavaskar, the most respected voice in Indian cricket, has always believed that in Test cricket a team should always play its best bowlers even if it means fielding two spinners.

The Indian team in all likelihood will blood rookie Andhra all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who will double up as the fourth seamer.

"I believe that you have to pick your best bowlers for the Test match, never mind how the pitch will behave. In Ashwin and Jadeja, we have bowlers who have taken almost 900 wickets between them. They also have between them more than half a dozen Test centuries under their belts.

"Even if they may not get much help from the pitch, they can, with their skill and experience slow down the scoring and exert pressure on the batters," the former India skipper explained his rationale.

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