Fri Nov 22 04:53:08 UTC 2024: ## India Faces Tough Test in Perth Against Australia

**Perth, Australia** – India’s cricket team faces a daunting challenge as they begin their Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign against Australia on November 22nd, 2024, in Perth. The match marks a crucial stage in India’s bid to qualify for the World Test Championship final. A 4-0 series win is necessary for India to secure their place. However, the team enters the match significantly weakened after a recent 0-3 home series defeat against New Zealand.

Adding to India’s woes, they will be without captain Rohit Sharma (on paternity leave, expected back for the Adelaide Test) and Shubman Gill (injured thumb, expected to miss approximately two weeks). This leaves Jasprit Bumrah to captain the side in Perth.

The Australian team, led by Pat Cummins, will be at full strength and pose a significant threat. Both teams have announced their squads:

**India:** Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Reddy, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah (capt.), Mohammed Siraj, Sarfaraz Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Abhimanyu Easwaran.

**Australia:** Usman Khawaja, Nathan McAndrew, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (capt.), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Scott Boland.

The first Test promises a thrilling contest, with India needing a strong performance to overcome their setbacks and begin their campaign on a positive note.

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