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Team India made a significant selection call by dropping Shubman Gill for the crucial fourth Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Captain Rohit Sharma announced the decision at the toss, revealing that the team opted to play an extra spinner in Washington Sundar to adapt to the pitch conditions.
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The Decision Behind Dropping Gill
Gill’s recent form in the longest format played a major role in the decision. While he amassed an impressive 866 runs in 12 Tests in 2024 at an average of 43.30, his performance in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) has been underwhelming. Despite these numbers being better than some of his senior teammates, the team management had to make a tough call, especially with KL Rahul rediscovering his form.
Rahul has scored 235 runs in his last six innings, making him the second-highest run-scorer in the series so far. This resurgence forced the management to continue with Rahul, which meant Gill had to sit out.
Tactical Shift: The Need for an Extra Spinner
Another factor influencing Gill’s exclusion was the team’s decision to strengthen their spin attack. The MCG pitch is expected to crack as the match progresses, making it conducive for spinners. With this in mind, India added Washington Sundar, who brings both off-spin and batting depth.
Captain Rohit Sharma will now move up the order to open the innings alongside KL Rahul to accommodate the strategic changes in the lineup.
Australia’s Changes
Australia also made two changes to their playing XI for this match:
- Sam Konstas, the 19-year-old sensation, was handed his Baggy Green and will open the innings alongside Usman Khawaja.
- Nathan McSweeney, who showed promise earlier in the series, has been dropped.
Additionally, fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the series due to injury, with Scott Boland stepping into the pace attack.
Toss Update
Australia won the toss and elected to bat first, a decision Rohit Sharma admitted he would have preferred as well.
Playing XIs
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.
What’s at Stake?
With the series tied at 1-1, both teams are eyeing an unassailable lead, making this match crucial in the context of the series and the World Test Championship (WTC) standings.
