The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 has introduced young blood into the Indian Test cricket arena. Six players—Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Harshit Rana, and Nitish Kumar Reddy—have been selected to represent India in this prestigious series against Australia.
Their inclusion marks a significant step in their careers. It also reflects the selectors' confidence in their abilities to perform on the international stage.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal's journey from humble beginnings to international cricket is inspirational. He was born on December 28, 2001, in Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh. Jaiswal moved to Mumbai at 11 to pursue his cricketing dreams. His youth was full of hardships. He used to live in tents and sell street food to support his training. Despite these challenges, his talent shone through, leading to his selection for the India U-19 team.
Jaiswal's finest hour came during the 2020 ICC U-19 World Cup. He emerged there as the tournament's leading run-scorer. Among his achievements was a century in the semifinal against Pakistan. His performances earned him a contract with the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He continued to impress with his aggressive yet composed batting style.
Jaiswal has made an impact on the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In the first Test at Perth, he scored a remarkable 161 runs, which shows his ability to perform in challenging conditions. His innings was instrumental in India's 295-run victory over Australia.
Devdutt Padikkal
Devdutt Padikkal, born on July 7, 2000, in Edappal, Kerala, is an elegant left-handed batsman. He moved to Bangalore at a young age, where he honed his skills and rose through the ranks of Karnataka cricket.
Padikkal made headlines during the 2019-20 domestic season, becoming the leading run-scorer in both the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
His consistent performances earned him a spot in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) squad for the IPL. In his debut season in 2020, Padikkal scored over 400 runs and won the Emerging Player Award. His ability to anchor the innings and accelerate when needed makes him an asset at the top of the order.
Padikkal's inclusion in the Test squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a testament to his adaptability across formats. So far, he has not made a substantial contribution in the first Test. Yet, his presence adds depth to India's batting lineup, providing the selectors with an option.
Dhruv Jurel
Born on January 21, 2001, in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, Dhruv Jurel has been a standout performer in age-group cricket. As the vice-captain and wicketkeeper of the India U-19 team during the 2020 World Cup, Jurel showed leadership qualities and technical proficiency.
Jurel's performances for Uttar Pradesh have been impressive, particularly in the shorter formats. His quick reflexes and ability to contribute valuable runs lower down the order have made him a player to watch. His selection in the Test squad indicates the selectors' intent to groom him for the longer format, recognizing his potential to be a future mainstay in the Indian team.
Abhimanyu Easwaran
Abhimanyu Easwaran has been a consistent performer in India's domestic circuit. A right-handed top-order batsman, Easwaran has amassed over 5,000 runs in first-class cricket. His impressive average shows his reliability and temperament.
As Bengal's captain in domestic competitions, Easwaran has demonstrated his leadership, often anchoring the innings in challenging situations. His technique and patience make him well-suited for Test cricket. He has been on the fringes of national selection for some time. His inclusion in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad deserves recognition of his domestic exploits.
Harshit Rana
Harshit Rana is a promising right-arm fast bowler known for his pace and ability to extract bounce from the pitch. He came into the limelight during the 2021-22 season, and his performances for Delhi caught selectors' attention.
His ability to bowl at high speeds and knack for taking crucial wickets make him a valuable addition to the pace attack. Rana's selection for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy allows him to learn under the guidance of experienced bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. During the first Test match, Rana impressed with his hard lengths and pace, picking up four wickets.
Nitish Kumar Reddy
Nitish Kumar Reddy is a young all-rounder who has shown promise in batting and bowling. Reddy has been a consistent performer in age-group cricket as a right-handed batter and right-arm medium-fast bowler.
His universal ability to contribute to the game adds balance to the squad. He was a revelation for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024, amassing 303 runs at a strike rate of over 140.
Reddy's selection in the Test squad is a strategic move by the selectors to invest in young talent. This would expose him to the rigours of international cricket. He was very impressive with his contributions on his Test debut.
Reddy was India's top scorer in the first innings of the Perth Test with 41 runs to his name. He also played a quickfire knock of 38 off 27 balls in the second innings. He also went on to claim his maiden Test wicket as he cleaned up Mitchell Marsh in the fourth innings of the match.