Selectors initially rejected the Indian team’s request for openers Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal to join the Test series in England. Shubman Gill’s injury was discovered following the conclusion of the World Test Championship (WTC) match against New Zealand in Southampton.
Selectors have recommended that management recruit Abhimanyu Easwaran, who is currently serving as a reserve opener for the club, into the team.
Team India’s administration in England has requested a substitute for Shubman Gill through email. From August 4, India will face England in a five-match Test series.
According to an email received on June 28, the Indian team management has requested that openers Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal represent the team, however, questions have been raised over whether the head of selectors, Chetan Sharma, is on the same page as the discussion.
Selection over Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal seems questionable
Abhimanyu Easwaran, who is now in the reserves, is not thought to be properly prepared for top-level Test cricket, as per the report. Under these conditions, selection over Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal seems questionable.
It also implies that KL Rahul, who has previously opened in England, will only be considered for the middle order, not the opening order.
“Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the entire Test series in the UK with shin splints that will take a minimum of three months to heal. The team’s administrative manager, at the end of last month, had sent an emailed requisition to former pacer Sharma asking for two more openers to be sent to the UK,” PTI reported a major BCCI source familiar to developments.
Shaw and Padikkal are both players of India’s limited-overs team, which is now in Sri Lanka for six white-ball matches.
Although Prithvi Shaw being dismissed from the playing XI and subsequently out of England series following his failure in the pink-ball Test against Australia in Adelaide, Devdutt Padikkal has only got his first India call-up for the Sri Lanka series, which begins on July 13 in Colombo with the first ODI.
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