With less than a month left before the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy gets underway, the Indian selectors are expected to name the squad by the end of October.
India could name a jumbo squad for the five-match tour, which could mean the vastly experienced Cheteshwar Pujara’s return into the national reckoning.
Pujari last played for India in the 2023 ICC World Test Championship final, after which he was dropped.
Reports claim that the selectors are looking ahead. Given his past performances in Australia, the Team could be tempted to give the veteran another look.
Pujara finished as the leading run-getter of the 2018-19 tour, scoring 521 runs. In the following series, he scored 271 runs as the tourists bounced back from a Test down to claim a 2-1 win. His ability to absorb pressure and wear out the opponent bowlers could prove vital.
Apart from all this, several reports claim India might also consider fast-bowling allrounder Shardul Thakur even though he has not been in the best form lately.
Thakur certainly made his mark on the last tour, during which India ran out at some point due to a spate of injuries among players toward the end of the series.
Allrounder Nitish Reddy, who was impressed while playing for India in a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, is also in the fray. He has also been chosen by India’s A squad for the shadow tour of Australia.
