IND vs AUS: Three Players who can replace Rohit Sharma as opener in Perth Test vs Australia

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The cricket fraternity is curiously waiting for the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 series. The Test opener will kick off on November 26 at Perth.

Meanwhile, speculations are rife that the Indian captain Rohit Sharma will miss the Test opener due to personal reasons, which could be a major setback for India. His experience and form as a batsman particularly on bouncy tracks like Perth, will be dearly missed in the first place.

On the other hand, this also opens up a window of opportunity for others to step up and make their mark. Let's take a look at three players who could open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in case Rohit Sharma misses the Perth Test.

1. Ruturaj Gaikwad: One can't miss out a promising talent like Ruturaj Gaikwad. He is often recognized for his performances in the IPL. On the other hand, his prowess as a red-ball player is sometimes overlooked. He has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket, wherein he scored 2,282 runs at an average of 42.25 in 33 first-class games.

Moreover, he boosted Australia tour selection chances with 86 against Jammu and Kashmir in Ranji Trophy. Meanwhile, an opportunity to open in Rohit's absence could be the perfect chance for him to sneak into the Test scheme of things.

2. Shubman Gill: With Rohit Sharma potentially out of the Perth opener, India could take a tactical approach by promoting Shubman Gill up the order. Gill has been batting at one down and although he struggled to find solace at this spot, he ensured to learn the tricks and trade before he slowly settled into the no.3 spot.

Earlier, he had a successful stint as an opener during his previous tour to Australia (2020/21). He scored 259 runs in 3 games at an average of 51.80, including 2 fifties. Gill scored an impeccable 91 in the team's historic win at the Gabba.

3. KL Rahul: KL Rahul who has got the experience and versatility in his repertoire, is another strong contender to open in Rohit's absence. In fact, he is a practical choice for the opening slot. The Indian team management might prefer having a seasoned campaigner alongside Jaiswal instead of fielding two inexperienced openers.

With 52 Tests under his belt, he has pretty decent experience in red-ball cricket, including playing as an opener in 26 of those matches. As an opener, he scored 1,601 runs at an average of 40.02. Despite recent struggles and a move down the order, his track record as an opener cannot be ignored at all. He scored 618 runs in 11 matches including a century in Australia.