Sunil Gavaskar warns India against this bold change on Boxing Day: ‘Can’t refuse…’

As the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy reaches a critical juncture with the series tied at 1-1, Team India faces major selection dilemmas ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The fallout from the third Test at the Gabba, which ended in a hard-fought draw, has sparked a wave of planned and speculative changes, with legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar weighing in on the decisions Indian team management must make.

The most significant shift came with the sudden departure of Ravichandran Ashwin, one of India’s greatest all-rounders, immediately after the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. Ashwin’s absence has left a huge void in the team, both in terms of his tactical acumen and his unparalleled batting skills.

Opening all-rounder Tanush Kotian has been named as Ashwin’s replacement, marking a new chapter in India’s spin department.

Among the many speculations regarding the composition of Team India, one of the biggest debates centers around Nitish Kumar Reddy’s place in the team. While some feel that Washington Sundar should replace Reddy to give India additional spin options, Gavaskar is adamantly against the idea. “They can’t give up on Nitish Kumar Reddy. He is the fourth sewing machine. I don’t think India will take the field with two players and Nitish. For me, this is the lineup that plays in Melbourne,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.

Reddy, despite being a reliable batter in the lower order, has struggled to hit the ball in the series. However, Gavaskar believes his ability to make crucial breakthroughs and his contributions with the bat make him essential to the balance of the team. The Indian think tank is also considering a reshuffle at the top of the batting order, with reports suggesting that Rohit Sharma could return to his favored opener role. Incorporating Rohit at the top will require a reconfiguration of the middle order.

If Rohit opens, K.L. Rahul could take the third spot, replacing the struggling Shubman Gill. Gill, who has not been at his best in this series, could either drop to 4th or be replaced altogether by Durv Jurel.

India’s bowling line-up has also been the subject of controversy. Akash Deep, whose heroics with the bat helped India avoid a repeat at the Gabba, is likely to retain his place. Gavaskar rejected the idea of ​​replacing him with Harshit Rana, saying, “It is unlikely that Harshit will replace Akash Deep. Why would you abandon the man who saved your team from persecution?”

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