India captain Rohit Sharma has provided insights ahead of the first Test against the West Indies. He clarified the batting positions, with Yashasvi Jaiswal set to open and Shubman Gill moving to the number three spot. Gill requested the middle-order position himself, believing he can perform better at number three.
Sharma expressed satisfaction at finally having a left-handed batsman in the team and hopes Jaiswal will perform well. The bowling combination is likely to feature two spinners and three seamers, considering the venue’s historical favorability towards spinners.
Sharma acknowledged the selectors’ efforts in monitoring young players and praised the inclusion of Jaiswal and Ruturaj. He emphasized the need for workload management and player rotation to keep the team fresh, with an eye on future series and the upcoming World Cup. The final bowling combination is yet to be decided.
“For the batting positions, Gill will play at No. 3. He himself has said that, he had a chat with Rahul Dravid and said that he’s played his entire career at 3 and 4, and that he can perform better for the team at No. 3. And for us also it becomes better because we have a left-right opening combination. So that is what we’ll try to do and hopefully this will go for a long term.
