Three openers, one spot: Irani Trophy could decide who is higher on pecking order for Australia tour | Cricket News

Beginning with the Duleep Trophy, the domestic season has already been an audition of sorts for the national team. And the Irani Cup tie between Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai and Rest of India to begin in Lucknow on Tuesday promises as much, especially with the India team management on the lookout for a third opener ahead of the Australia tour.Since the tour of England, with Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal – who are originally openers – being part of the squad, they have gone without a third opener. But with Gill and Rahul forming the core of the middle-order, and Padikkal continuing to bat in the middle-order in the Duleep Trophy, India are yet to finalise who their third opener will be.
Between Abhimanyu Easwaran – who was the third choice opener during the tour to South Africa, Ruturaj Gaikwad and B Sai Sudharsan, the selectors have to take a call on one. And the shoot-out for the spot which began in Duleep Trophy will resume at Lucknow. And given the form he was in during the Duleep Trophy, where he scored two centuries, Easwaran has an opportunity in the Irani Cup to make a strong case for his inclusion again.

The #IraniCup 2024 starts tomorrow 🙌
The 2023-24 #RanjiTrophy champions Mumbai take on the Rest of India
Which team are you rooting for 🤔
📍 Lucknow📺 JioCinema💻📱 https://t.co/pQRlXkCguc@IDFCFIRSTBank | @MumbaiCricAssoc pic.twitter.com/f1VEFBnwbK
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 30, 2024
And the Mumbai attack which includes Shardul Thakur, Mohit Avasthi, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian should provide a challenge to the RoI top-order. Between the three openers in fray, thanks to his consent performances in the domestic circuit and India A matches, Easwaran has been part of the India squad at various times since the tour of England in 2021. He even came close to making a debut in Chattogram in 2022, but eventually missed out to Gill.
Despite his ability to score hundreds on a consent basis, doubts still pers about the 29-year-old Easwaran. Back then in Gill, Rahul and Prithvi Shaw India had other openers to bank on. But in the current scheme of things, it is Easwaran who seems to be high on pecking order.
Gaikwad, who too briefly tried his luck as a middle-order batsman with Maharashtra, is the other experienced one in the mix. With a very simple technique, Gaikwad has shown in the India A set-up as well as at the IPL that he is well equipped to face high quality fast bowling and has a strong back foot-game as well. But the 27-year-old has often appeared loose outside the off-stump channel and even in the Duleep Trophy he was dismissed seamer Aaqib Khan while poking at deliveries he could have let it go.
And behind these two is Sai Sudharsan. The left-hander is being groomed as a one for the future and following a century for Surrey in the County circuit, scored another one in the Duleep Trophy as well. With 221 runs he was India A’s highest run-getter against England Lions earlier this year. The only way Sai Sudharsan can pip the other two is if he scores heavily in the Irani Cup.
But more importantly, the three-way contest is expected to continue in the India A set-up during its tour to Australia next month. The Indian Express understands that with not much separating the three, whoever adjusts quickly to the conditions in Australia is expected to take the third opener’s slot.
Mumbai dreams
For Mumbai, who were supposed to play this fixture at the Wankhede before the venue was shifted to Lucknow because of the prevailing weather in the Maximum City, the Irani Cup will be another opportunity to break their drought. Since winning the trophy in 1997/98, they have ended second best on 8 occasions.
While all the focus is on the opening slot, the Irani Cup is also an opportunity for Shreyas Iyer and Shaw to show they are part of the mix. Unlike Iyer, who was part of the Duleep Trophy, Shaw didn’t even find a place in any of the four squads. And after a mixed stint in the County circuit for Northants, Shaw has a chance now to restart his promising career.
For Shreyas, the way forward is simple. Given his short-ball struggles, a spot in the Test team especially for the Australia trip, looks out of reach. Even with Sarfaraz Khan – who has been released from the India squad for the Irani Cup – the fixture is crucial to show he is amongst runs. He hasn’t had a good start to the season and with Padikkal, Ricky Bhui breathing down the neck as middle-order options, Sarfaraz knows only runs will keep his spot safe.

And on Tuesday, when all eyes are on Kanpur, the selectors’ attention will be on Lucknow.