Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21: Should KL Rahul replace Prithvi Shaw? Here's Sunil Gavaskar's take

First Published Dec 21, 2020, 6:43 PM IST

India is trialling the four-Test series 0-1 after losing the opening day-night Test in Adelaide. It takes on Australia in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne from Friday. India will need to at least draw the series to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, it won during its last visit, in 2018-19.

<p>India is off to a horrific start in the four-Test series for the Broder-Gavaskar Trophy. It has lost the opening day-night Test to Australia by eight wickets within just two and a half days, following a horrific batting collapse in the second innings, which saw it getting bowled out for its lowest Test total, of 36.</p>

India is off to a horrific start in the four-Test series for the Broder-Gavaskar Trophy. It has lost the opening day-night Test to Australia by eight wickets within just two and a half days, following a horrific batting collapse in the second innings, which saw it getting bowled out for its lowest Test total, of 36.

<p>One of the notable failures among the batsmen came in the form of young opener Prithvi Shaw, who could score mere four in both the innings. As India would look to shuffle the playing XI for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne from Friday, the man himself, whose title Team India is fighting for, Sunil Gavaskar feels that wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul should replace Shaw.</p>

One of the notable failures among the batsmen came in the form of young opener Prithvi Shaw, who could score mere four in both the innings. As India would look to shuffle the playing XI for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne from Friday, the man himself, whose title Team India is fighting for, Sunil Gavaskar feels that wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul should replace Shaw.

<p>"India will look at making two changes. Firstly, maybe KL Rahul should replace Prithvi Shaw as an opener. At No. 5 or No. 6, Shubman Gill should come in. His form has been good. Things can change if we start well," Gavaskar was quoted as saying on YouTube channel, Sports Tak.</p>

"India will look at making two changes. Firstly, maybe KL Rahul should replace Prithvi Shaw as an opener. At No. 5 or No. 6, Shubman Gill should come in. His form has been good. Things can change if we start well," Gavaskar was quoted as saying on YouTube channel, Sports Tak.

<p>Speaking on if India can make a comeback in the series, following the Adelaide howler, Gavaskar sounded optimistic. "India have to believe that they can come back in the remainder of the Test series. If India don't find the positivity, then 4-0 series loss can happen. But, if they have positivity, why not? It can happen (comeback). India should start the Melbourne Test well, it's necessary for them to step onto the ground with a lot of positivity. Australia's weak point is their batting," he reckoned.</p>

Speaking on if India can make a comeback in the series, following the Adelaide howler, Gavaskar sounded optimistic. "India have to believe that they can come back in the remainder of the Test series. If India don't find the positivity, then 4-0 series loss can happen. But, if they have positivity, why not? It can happen (comeback). India should start the Melbourne Test well, it's necessary for them to step onto the ground with a lot of positivity. Australia's weak point is their batting," he reckoned.

<p>Gavaskar also rued the dropped catches and feels that the side needs to improve upon its fielding as well, besides its batting. "Had we held on to our catches well and had good field placements, there might not have been any problem, Tim Paine and Marnus Labuschagne would have gotten out early. We could have got a lead of 120 runs. Australia got ahead in the Tests because of those dropped catches; they got the lead down to 50 runs," he opined.</p>

Gavaskar also rued the dropped catches and feels that the side needs to improve upon its fielding as well, besides its batting. "Had we held on to our catches well and had good field placements, there might not have been any problem, Tim Paine and Marnus Labuschagne would have gotten out early. We could have got a lead of 120 runs. Australia got ahead in the Tests because of those dropped catches; they got the lead down to 50 runs," he opined.

<p>The pathetic display in Adelaide has angered fans, while Gavaskar feels that it is natural. "It's natural that there is anger after such a performance. But, in cricket, anything can happen. Look at how the scene was yesterday, and what has happened today," he concluded.</p>

The pathetic display in Adelaide has angered fans, while Gavaskar feels that it is natural. "It's natural that there is anger after such a performance. But, in cricket, anything can happen. Look at how the scene was yesterday, and what has happened today," he concluded.

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