New Delhi. The first match of the 5-match series between India and Australia will be played at Optus Stadium in Perth from Friday. Devdutt Padikkal can be fielded at number three. After the injury of Shubman Gill, it is considered certain that Padikkal will play. Devdutt Padikkal’s senior teammate Mayank Agarwal says that if Padikkal gets a chance to play in the first Test, he will have to embrace the challenges ahead. Devdutt Padikkal and Mayank Agarwal play for Karnataka in domestic cricket.
Devdutt Padikkal was not part of India’s 18-member squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). But after Shubman Gill injured his left hand before the opening Test, Padikkal was asked to stay after the A team played in the unofficial Test. If Gill remains out, Padikkal can take the field for the second time in this format. He made his debut against England in March. Agarwal was in a similar situation during the 2018-19 tour when he was called for the second Test in Melbourne. He told PTI, ‘They (Indian players) have got time to prepare. The good thing was that many players went to play India A matches.
‘It depends on the mindset, are you ready to go into battle?’
According to Mayank Agarwal, ‘He had at least three weeks to prepare himself for the circumstances. But now it depends on the mindset, are you ready to enter the fight? Or are you ready to embrace this challenge? If he can get into the mindset that he has got into then he is a talent and he works hard on his game.’But Padikkal looks one step closer to playing in the first Test against Australia as the Indians The official handle of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a video of his experience from his training session with the national team a day before the match.
‘Hopefully I can take advantage of it’
Padikkal said, ‘To be honest, it feels surreal. The practice sessions were very rigorous. You feel that challenge. You will feel that everyone is ready and eager to go for the big series. He said, ‘So it is always a pleasure to do training sessions with the Indian team because it feels as big as the matches. Hopefully this will be visible in the match also. Padikkal, who played a brilliant inning of 88 runs in the first unofficial Test in Mackay, said, ‘I am happy that I am getting this opportunity and hopefully I will be able to take advantage of it.’
Tags: Devdutt Padikkal, India vs Australia, mayank agarwal
FIRST PUBLISHED: November 21, 2024, 18:17 IST