Fri Nov 22 02:20:00 UTC 2024: ## India Faces Australia in Border-Gavaskar Trophy Opener Without Key Players
**Perth, Australia:** India’s much-anticipated tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy begins today with the first Test match in Perth. However, the team will be significantly weakened by the absence of several key players.
Captain Rohit Sharma will miss the match due to the recent birth of his child. His absence will be keenly felt, with Jasprit Bumrah stepping in as captain. Further, opener Shubman Gill is injured and will be replaced, potentially by Yashasvi Jaiswal alongside KL Rahul. Devdatta Padikkal is likely to fill Gill’s spot at number three. There are also expected changes in the spin and pace departments. With Ravindra Jadeja potentially out, R Ashwin is likely to be the sole spinner. The team is expected to field four fast bowlers, possibly Bumrah, Siraj, Harshith Rana, and Nitish Reddy.
The Indian team’s potential playing XI includes: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdatta Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshith Rana/Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah (captain), and Mohammed Siraj/Akash Deep.
Australia, meanwhile, is expected to field a strong team including Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSwine, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (captain), Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood.
The first Test begins at 7:50 AM IST (Indian Standard Time). The absence of several key players will put India’s strategy to the test in the challenging conditions of the Perth Stadium.
First Piper 