Dinesh Karthik picks ideal replacements for Pujara, Rahane ahead of 2024 Border-Gavaskar trophy

As India gears up for the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia, the team faces the challenge of stepping onto the field without two of their most experienced batters, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. 

The absence of these stalwarts has sparked debates on who can fill their crucial roles, and former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has weighed in, naming Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan as the ideal candidates.

India's previous two Test series victories in Australia were marked by brilliant performances, with Pujara and Rahane playing pivotal roles. Pujara, the backbone of India’s batting during the 2018-19 series, emerged as the highest run-scorer with 521 runs. 

Meanwhile, Rahane's match-winning century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the 2020-21 series was instrumental in India’s comeback after the infamous Adelaide collapse.

Replacing this duo is no small task, but Karthik believes that Gill and Khan have the talent and temperament required for the job. Speaking on his show "HeyCB with DK" on Cricbuzz, Karthik said, “Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan. Both of those batters have done well against England in the home series that recently happened at the start of the year. I have a feeling both of them will be on that flight to Australia and will be trying to do their best. We will know if they’re able to replace both Ajinkya and Pujji (Pujara). Big shoes to fill, but they have the quality and calibre in them.”

Gill, who was part of the victorious Indian squad during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, had a memorable debut series, finishing as the sixth-highest run-scorer with 259 runs. His crucial 91 on the final day of the Gabba Test sealed a historic series win for India. With 25 Tests under his belt, Gill has continued to impress and is seen as a key player in India’s future Test plans.

It is worth noting that India and Australia are set to face off in the eagerly awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a five-Test match series scheduled to take place in Australia from November 22, 2024, to January 3, 2025.

India has dominated recent encounters, including winning two consecutive series in Australia and maintaining strong performances at home.