The much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy is nearing and the speculations around who will make the cut for the remaining places in the squad for the Indian side are increasing day by day.
With the recent report of Rohit Sharma set to be missing one Test out of the first two in the series, the discussion around the reserve opener has been making circles in the cricket fraternity and the most likely candidates as of now look like either the consistent domestic performer Abhimanyu Easwaran or CSK's Ruturaj Gaikwad.
BET on the latest and upcoming BGT and other sporting events and win cash bonuses
Will Prithvi Shaw make a comeback in the Indian team?
Contrary to the names in the discussions for the reserve opener, Jatin Paranjape, the former India selector has picked Prithvi Shaw as his dark horse as the opener to fill in for Rohit in his absence.
"Shubman Gill is probably a good choice for the third opener because he can bat at three and also open the innings. However, I'd consider KL Rahul for the third opener role, depending on the situation," he said
"Everyone is scoring runs. Easwaran is doing well too. There's also a dark horse that nobody is talking about: Prithvi Shaw. This domestic season will be crucial for Shaw," added Paranjape.
READ MORE: Explained: Why Rohit Sharma will miss a Test against Australia during Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
"If he has a strong season, he'll be in the race. I think he is the most talented player in the country, but there's tough competition, and whoever is in the best form will be picked," he concluded.
Prithvi Shaw, who last played for India in Test cricket in the famous 36 all out Test in Adelaide has played just 5 Tests for India with 339 runs and averages 42.37 with a hundred on debut and two fifties.
Since then, with on and off the field issues, he has found himself sidelined from the Indian setup while the names like Gill and Jaiswal grabbed their opportunities with both hands.
BET on the latest and upcoming sporting action and win cash bonuses
If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Learn more >