Three Players Who Can Replace Rohit Sharma As Opener If He Gets Ruled Out For The Fifth Test Against England

With less than a week left in the start of the fifth Test against England, India skipper Rohit Sharma has tested positive for COVID -19. Sharma didn't turn up to bat in India's second innings in the ongoing warm-up game against Leicestershire. He is currently isolated at the team hotel and will be tested again on June 26. According to the protocols, the right-hander needs to isolate for at least five days.

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This means that he might miss out on the game starting on July 1 in Birmingham. Although the results of another round are due, the scenario of Mumbai ruling out can't be ignored. If that happens, the team will need someone else to open.

Now, if Rohit Sharma get ruled out, there are three contenders who can open the innings. In this listicle, we will discuss those players who might open with Gill.

Three Players Who Might Open The Innings for India

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Srikar Bharat (Image Credit : Twitter)

1. KS Bharat

The wicketkeeper batter scored unbeaten 70 while batting at number seven in the first innings. In the absence of Rohit, Bharat opened the innings and looked solid while scoring 43 runs. The Andhra Pradesh player has nine hundreds to his name as a keeper. With Rishabh Pant set to keep wickets, Bharat might be the option for opening the batting and play as a pure batter.

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Hanuma Vihari (Image Credit : Twitter)

2. Hanuma Vihari

The middle order batter has opened the innings for India only once. That too was in the Boxing Day Test against Australia in 2018. The right-hander could only score eight runs. However, he played out 66 deliveries which meant that the middle-order wasn't exposed to the first new ball. In the practice game, he hasn't scored big but has looked good batting at number three. With the limited opportunity he gets in the team, he might relish whatever chances he gets.

Cheteshwar Pujara (Image Credit : Twitter)

3. Cheteshwar Pujara

The veteran player has opened the innings when the team runs out of option or any emergency emerges. He has played six innings while opening and has amassed 395 runs at an average of 131.66, including one hundred and two fifties. As a number three batter, he is habitual of playing the new ball if first wicket falls early. He might the the top contender for the job considering his form in County Cricket earlier this year and his experience in the team.