NEW DELHI: India have a settled opening combination in Tests but the side is likely to have a reserve opener in the upcoming five-Test series vs Australia. It's a long tour starting next month and the men's senior selection committee would look to cover all bases while finalising the squad sheet.
Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal have been in good touch but it's important to have a reserve opener ready if the need arises.
With reports of Rohit Sharma likely to miss one of the Tests due to personal reasons doing rounds, Ajit Agarkar & Co. will be keeping a close eye on potential candidates for the role.
Exclusive | Ex-India selector makes a huge Border-Gavaskar Trophy prediction
Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sai Sudharsan are some of the options but a very interesting name has been added to the list by former India selector Jatin Paranjape.
Paranjape believes Shaw, known for his aggressive style and quick scoring, adds a different dynamic to the top order and feels he is the "dark horse".
"Shubman Gill is probably a good choice for the third opener because he can bat at number three and also open the innings. However, I’d also consider KL Rahul for the third opener role, depending on the situation. Everyone is scoring runs. Easwaran is doing well too. There’s also a dark horse that nobody is talking about: Prithvi Shaw. This domestic season will be crucial for Shaw," said Paranjape in an exclusive interview.
Interestingly, Shaw last played a Test for India in 2020, against Australia in Adelaide. He has played five Tests, scoring 339 runs at an average of 42.37, including one century and two fifties.
The belligerent opener made a dream debut in 2018, scoring 134 against the West Indies, becoming the youngest Indian — at 18 — to score a century on debut. It hasn't been a smooth sail since then as his career has faced setbacks due to injuries, form, and off-field concerns.
With the upcoming Ranji Trophy season, Shaw would look to impress the selectors.
"If Prithvi Shaw has a strong season, he’ll be in the race. I think he is the most talented player in the country, but there’s tough competition, and whoever is in the best form at the time will get picked," Paranjape added.
