India Makes Last-Minute Squad Changes for Perth Test; Devdutt Padikkal Included, T20 Specialist Called Up

Just days before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia was set to begin, India's squad underwent some last-minute changes. Devdutt Padikkal was brought into the main squad on Wednesday due to a thumb injury threatening Shubman Gill's availability for the series opener in Perth. With stand-in captain and opener Rohit Sharma already absent, the Indian selectors opted to err on the side of caution and include Padikkal in the squad.

Gill, who fractured his left thumb during the intra-squad match a few days ago, was largely a spectator during India's practice session on Wednesday. Despite bowling coach Morne Morkel’s optimism that he was getting better and might yet be in the fray for the Test starting on Friday, it’s pretty much certain that he won’t be seen in action before Canberra, and the two-night warm-up game against an Australian Prime Minister’s XI next week.

Gill’s misfortune could open the door to a Test recall for Devdutt Padikkal, the tall left-hander from Karnataka who has now been officially added to the Indian Test squad.

Padikkal, who was with the India A team in Australia playing the four-day games against Australia A is in line to bat at No.3 at the Optus Stadium in Perth on November 22. Padikkal made his Test debut against England in Dharamsala earlier this year and scored an impressive half-century (63) but since then he did not get an opportunity. He was not a part of India's Test squad for the home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand.

He is comfortable against pace and played in both of India ‘A’s games against Australia ‘A’ in the last fortnight, making 88 in the second innings of the first of two defeats, and was unhurried at the nets on Wednesday when spicy tracks greeted first Pat Cummins’ outfit in the morning, and then India’s batters in the afternoon.

There was another change in India's reserve players' list. Left-arm pacer Yash Dayal, who was a part of India's T20I squad in South Africa, has been flown into Australia after reserve bowler Khaeel Ahmed, the only left-arm pacer in the Indian contingent, had to be sent back home due to an injury. Dayal joined Mukesh Kumar and Navdeep Saini - the other two reserve pacers in India's squad.

After the series opener in Perth on November 22, the second Test, featuring the day-night format, will take place under lights at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10.

Fans will then turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test from December 14 to 18. The traditional Boxing Day Test, scheduled from December 26 to 30 at Melbourne's iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, will mark the series' penultimate stage.

The fifth and final Test will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, promising an exciting climax to a highly anticipated series.