India in Perth: KL Rahul good to go as tourists home in on No.3

India‘s spare-parts man KL Rahul looks set to bolster the top of the order against Australia’s fearsome bowling attack in the West Test after batting through a soggy net session on Tuesday at Optus Stadium.

Rahul looked untroubled in a lengthy stint in the nets after being in doubt last week when he was struck on the right elbow by India quick Prasidh Krishna during a closed session at the WACA Ground.

He returned to the nets on Sunday and Tuesday’s appearance, against spin and pace, should be enough to convince selectors he is ready to take on Australia’s opening attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and captain Pat Cummins.

India, like Australia, will require a reshuffle at the top of the order.

Regular opener and captain Rohit Sharma will miss the West Test after remaining in India following the birth of his second child, while Shubman Gill will also be absent with a fractured thumb and is also considered doubtful for the second Test in Adelaide.

India team management released a video of Rahul chatting on Sunday night with physios Kamlesh Jain and Yogesh Parmar.

“The key for us is that there is no fracture or bone lesions in there,” Kamlesh said.

Rahul is also a wicketkeeper but those duties will be assumed by Rishabh Pant. Rahul has batted everywhere from opener to middle order so appears a safer choice.

“I’m feeling good and batted today, getting ready for the first game. I was happy that I came here early to get used to the conditions. I got a lot of time to prepare and I’m excited for the series,” Rahul told the video.

Rahul is expected to open with young left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal, but the bigger mystery for India will be who comes in at first drop.

Devdutt Padikkal was a late inclusion in the squad when India realised Sharma would not play, and was elevated into favouritism for the No. 3 slot when Gill suffered the thumb injury at the WACA Ground last week.

Left-hander Padikkal made his Test debut for India at home against England earlier this year, where he batted at No. 4 and scored 65 in Dharamsala, and had a mixed series for India A against Australia A with scores of 36, 88, 26, and 1.

Virat Kohli, who spent time in the nets on Tuesday, would then come in at No 4 and Pant at 5.

The top order reshuffle and a run drought for both Kohli and Sharma, makes India’s decision to leave veteran top order batsman Cheteswar Pujara out of the squad all the more puzzling.

Former Australian opener Simon Katich, who will be part of the Channel 7 commentary team for the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, predicted India would “seriously miss” Pujara’s ability to withstand an all-out assault from the Australian bowlers.

“He’s been brilliant here the last couple of series when India has won and it is not always about him getting big hundreds, it’s him soaking up pressure in the first 30-40 overs, wearing this Australian attack down,” Katich said.

“I think he’ll be a massive loss and I think that’s why Austraila will win the series.”

There have also been reports Delhi paceman Harshit Rana is tipped for his maiden Test cap on the fast, bouncy Optus Stadium pitch.

Tall India spinner Washington Sundar, a left-handed batsman and a right-arm off spinner, is another prospect to bat at No. 3.

He is expected to play anyway as the team’s first-choice spinner.

Sundar took career-best figures of 7-59 on day one of the second Test of India’s recent ill-fated 3-0 series loss to New Zealand at home.

His tall frame is considered better suited to extract bounce and turn from an Optus Stadium pitch that evergreen Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has proven can reward spinners.

In Sharma’s absence, his deputy, India’s first choice quick Jasprit Bumrah, is expected to lead his country.

Bumrah has captained India in one Test, against England in Birmingham two years ago, when Sharma was sidelined with COVID.

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke forecast Bumrah would be India’s leading wicket-taker in the series and that could create a problem for Sharma

“Bumrah… leading wicket-taker for India. I think these expectations of how good he is are going to bring the best out of him,” Clarke told the TAB You Tube channel.

“Some people can shy away from it; I don’t think he will.

“I think he will get better. And if he captains the first Test, that will inspire him to lead from the front. I will be nervous. I will be worrying if I was Rohit Sharma coming to Australia.’”