India captain Rohit Sharma has suggested the possibility of introducing young talent like Mayank Yadav during the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. His remarks follow injury concerns, particularly Mohammed Shami's delayed recovery and Yash Dayal's shoulder injury, highlighting India's need to have solid backups.
With eight Tests left in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, the management is preparing for potential player rotations due to injuries and workload management. Four travelling reserves were named for the upcoming home series against New Zealand, including fast bowlers Mayank Yadav, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Rohit emphasised the importance of developing bench strength, especially in the bowling department, to avoid over-reliance on key players. Drawing from India’s previous tour of Australia in 2020-21, where reserve players played a pivotal role, he said the management is keen on giving these emerging talents a chance to step up when needed.
“Tomorrow, if we feel they’re ready to replace an injured pacer, they should be prepared,” Rohit said, highlighting the importance of monitoring workloads and readiness for the Test format.
With the reserves expected to travel to South Africa for a T20I series before heading to Australia, the Indian team aims to fast-track these players' development. “It’s about building stability for Indian cricket’s future,” Rohit concluded.