As the chatter continues to go about regarding the headline Test event of 2024, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, fans have begun pondering their picks on what they think should make the trip Down Under.
The conditions in Australia are mostly for the quick bowlers. With the fresh cherry, bowlers can expect some swing to come on and some deviation off the track as well when the pitch cracks up as days go by.
The likes of Australia’s Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc have become the blueprint for how to dominate in Australian conditions. The trio have shown that they can hit the deck consistently, testing the batters regularly, through the years.
As far as the Indian team is concerned, the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are definite picks to make the trip, but questions have begun to rise on who would be that third seam option.
Mohammed Shami is likely to be the front-runner as India’s third-choice pacer but his fitness will be a massive indicator of whether the BCCI does select the senior man. With enough and more experience playing in Australian conditions, it is a no-brainer that Shami would make the trip should clear all the necessary fitness tests.
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More questions can be asked of India’s backup options should someone get an injury. This is where the former Indian wicketkeeper, Dinesh Karthik has revealed a not-so-surprising pick who should be selected for the Australia tour.
In a video with Cricbuzz, Karthik was asked about who he thought was the best hit-the-deck pacer that should be called up for the Border-Gavaskar series.
“Harshit Rana! He’s got special skills. He gets a good backspin on the ball. Kisses off the pitch and is a very talented fast bowler. I wish they take him to Australia, I think he will make a difference there,” said the former Kolkata Knight Riders skipper.
Rana has been on the rise since helping the Kolkata Knight Riders lift their third title in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He picked up the joint-fourth most wickets in the 2024 season with 19 scalps to his name.
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The 22-year-old has also been fairly prominent in the domestic scene where he picked up two four-wicket hauls in the Duleep Trophy 2024 tournament as well. With his ability to hit the 140+ kph mark on a regular basis, he could be a solid option to rely on for the long term and the experience from the bench could prove to be useful in the long run.
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