Bumrah will captain if Rohit isn’t available: Gambhir confirms ahead of BGT opener

After the shambolic 0-3 whitewash at the hands of New Zealand, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma dropped a big hint that he might not play the Perth Test. Since then, it has put the spotlight on the duo of Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul, who opened for India A in the second unofficial Test in Melbourne.

However, their form might be a worry for India, considering how brittle Easwaran was in the A series, where his scores read 7, 12, 0, and 17. Rahul could only make 4 and 10, which puts India’s opening options in the doldrums. India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, however, wasn’t too fazed about the opening issue, stating that India have enough options.

"At the moment, there is no confirmation but we will let you know exactly what the situation will be. Hopefully he's going to be available, but everything we're going to get to know at the start of the series," Gambhir said at a press conference before the team's departure to Australia.

"Obviously there is [Abhimanyu] Easwaran and there is KL [Rahul] there. So we will take a call closer to the first Test match if Rohit is not available," Gambhir said. "There are options there, it's not that there are no options there. There are quite a few options in the squad.

"There are times you go with experienced players as well. He [KL Rahul] can bat at the top, middle order and at No. 6 as well. He can keep wicket; can do the job for us if Rohit is not available for the 1st Test. We will try and get the best combination – be it KL, Gill or Easwaran", he added.

While Shubman Gill hasn’t opened since the West Indies series, he’s also another option, considering how his heroics resulted in India sealing a second historic series win Down Under. 

"Once it gets closer to the first Test match, we'll plan and play the best playing XI that's going to do the job for us." 

But what Gambhir did confirm is that in case Rohit misses the Perth Test, Jasprit Bumrah will lead the side. It will be Bumrah’s second game as a captain, with his first one resulting in a massive defeat at the hands of England at Edgbaston in 2022.

“[Jasprit] Bumrah is the vice-captain so obviously he will [be the captain] if Rohit is not available."

The five-match Test series starts on November 22, with the first Test in Perth.

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