The third Test match of the four-match series, the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023, will be held in Indore from March 1 to March 5.
Team India successfully defended the Border Gavaskar Trophy after defeating Australia by six wickets in the second Test match and would like to go all-in on the WTC final in England. India also won the first Test by an innings and 132 runs, giving them a 2-0 lead in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023.
If India does make it to The Oval for the marquee final, which begins on June 7, they will likely have less than 10 days of preparation time, as IPL 2023 runs until May 28. The Ahmedabad Test will then provide them with a realistic opportunity to simulate conditions similar to those expected in London. It will also necessitate a change in the team’s combination, with one spinner likely to be replaced by a seam-bowling all-rounder, such as Shardul Thakur in the past, and another possibly by a third fast bowler.
“There is definitely a possibility of that,” Rohit said on the eve of the Indore Test. “We have already spoken about it. We need to get the guys ready for it. The important one is Shardul Thakur, because he comes into the planning for us. We don’t know how ready he is since he has just gotten married. We don’t know how many overs he has bowled. But that thought process is definitely there. If we do what we do here and get the result we want, we might think of doing something different in Ahmedabad for sure.”