Devdutt Padikkal joins India's Test squad for Border-Gavaskar Trophy
What's the story
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has added batter Devdutt Padikkal to the squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The decision comes after Shubman Gill was ruled out with an injury.
As per reports, Padikkal, a top-order batter, will likely replace Gill in the Playing XI.
He was initially included in the India A team that played against Australia A.
Career highlights
Padikkal's impressive performance against Australia A
Padikkal had made his India debut earlier this year in Dharamsala against England, scoring a commendable 65.
Although he wasn't picked for the Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, his form didn't dip.
Against Australia A, he recorded scores of 36 and 88 in Mackay, further strengthening his case for the main squad.
Team strategy
Potential line-up changes for India
The team will miss the services of Rohit Sharma and Gill, who play the short ball well.
While Sharma recently became a father again, Gill is nursing a hand injury.
Despite their absence, India has a reliable opener in KL Rahul, who has done this job well in the past.
At Tuesday's training session at the WACA Ground in Perth, Rahul was seen honing his defense skills and participating in all drills in a three-hour training session.
Bowling strategy
India's bowling line-up for the upcoming Test
According to reports, Harshit Rana is likely to debut in this series.
Ravichandran Ashwin is expected to be the only spinner in the team, with Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack.
Mohammed Siraj's experience of Australian conditions makes him a probable inclusion.
The last spot in the XI could go to either Akash Deep or Prasidh Krishna, depending on team strategy and conditions.