BGT 2024-25: Devdutt Padikkal joins Indian team squad for Perth Test

Young left-hand batter Devdutt Padikkal has been drafted into India'sTest squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy and is likely to replace the injured Shubman Gill for the opening Test in Perth. 

The 24-year-old left-handed batter's unexpected opportunity came after Gill suffered a fractured thumb during a practice session at WACA, forcing the Indian team management to make a last-minute strategic change. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Padikkal's addition to the squad through a video on their social media account.

This is not Padikkal's first taste of international cricket. He made his Test debut earlier this year during the England series, where he scored a steady 65 runs off 103 balls. Despite a good debut, he was subsequently overlooked for a series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. Now, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a golden chance for him to make his place in India's Test setup.

“I feel pretty surreal, to be honest. The intensity at the practice sessions has been pretty high. You feel that challenge, you feel that everybody is rearing for the series ahead. So, it has always been a pleasure to have a training session with the Indian team because it feels as big as the match. Hopefully, we can translate that into the game as well,” Padikkal said in a video for BCCI.

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I'm glad that I'm getting this opportunity: Devdutt Padikkal

Though his recent performances have been underwhelming, during the India A tour, particularly in an unofficial Test against Australia A in Mackay, he scored 88. The Southpaw expressed his excitement regarding his selection and is focused on doing well.

'Coming here for the A-tour, I somewhere at the back of my head, I was hoping that I could do well enough to stay back...I'm glad that I'm getting this opportunity and hopefully, I can make it wrong” he added.

With regular captain Rohit Sharma absent due to paternity leave, the team is expected to feature KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal as openers, with Padikkal potentially slotting in at No. 3 in Gill's absence.