Meet Yashasvi Jaiswal and the other unknown Indian guns who could rattle Australia this summer

Four years after India stormed the Gabba with a virtual ‘B’ team, Australia should again be wary of little-known stars who could turn the summer on its head, writes Jacob Kuriype.

No Rohit Sharma. No Shubman Gill. No Mohammed Shami.

Four years on from storming the Gabba with a virtual b-team, India heads into the first Test at Perth missing plenty of star power.

Ahead of Friday’s series opener, here’s what you need to know about the six Indian rookies in the frame for selection.

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Yashasvi Jaiswal

Test record: 1407 runs at 56.28

First-class record: 3291 runs at 68.34

Yashasvi Jaiswal arrives in Australia with plenty of hype. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images

Not short of coverage, Yashasvi Jaiswal heads into the Border-Gavaskar series as the most hyped young batter of his generation and a certain starter. An aggressive left-hander, who has also shown the temperament required to rein himself in, Jaiswal has flourished across his 14 Tests to date (batting average of 56.28, strike rate of 70.13). The Australians will want to remove him early, because he’s shown a serious appetite for big scores, with two of his three Test centuries to date being doubles. The great unknown surrounding Jaiswal is how he will fare in Australian conditions after his struggled in South Africa (average 12.50) last summer. He looked fluent in India’s intra-squad match before nicking off for 15.

Devdutt Padikkal

Test record: 65 runs at 65

First-class record: 2677 runs at 42.49

Devdutt Padikkal in action for India A. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

Not a part of India’s initial Test squad, Padikkal looks to have benefited from an impressive outing for India A, and injuries and absences hitting India’s top-order. With Rohit Sharma away for personal reasons and Shubman Gill suffering a broken thumb, Padikkal is tipped to bat at first drop at Perth. A tall left-hander with a technique that is very easy on the eye, the 24-year-old has a first-class average of 42.49, and dominated the Ranji Trophy – India’ major first-class tournament – to the tune of 556 runs at an average of 92.66 last season. That saw him make his Test debut against England in March. He marked the occasion with a fine 65 in an innings-victory. He was India A’s standout batter in Mackay, and looked the goods in seaming conditions.

Dhruv Jurel

Test record: 190 runs at 63.33

First-class record: 1223 runs at 48.92

There’s a lot to like about Dhruv Jurel. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

A tidy wicketkeeper and stylish batter, Dhruv Jurel looked set to spend the next decade as Rishabh Pant’s understudy. That fate was underlined when Pant was restored straight to the Test team on his return from a career-halting car accident, despite Jurel thriving at the Test level in his absence – Pant is just one of those players that is undeniable at the selection table. Still, he had done enough by then to establish himself as the firm No.2, and secured a ticket to Australia. Like any good keeper, he knows how take an opportunity when it comes his way, and he did just that when picked for India A’s match at the MCG, notching two half-centuries. Now, he looks set to go from cordial mixer to specialist batter as India looks to shore up its middle order.

Sarfaraz Khan

Test record: 371 runs at 37.1

First-class record: 4593 runs at 65.71

Sarfaraz Khan knows how to go big. Picture: Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images

If Jurel is selected as expected, it will come at the expense of Sarfaraz Khan, who just last month produced one of the Test innings of the year. A stocky 27-year-old from Mumbai, Khan blitzed New Zealand to the tune of 150 off 195. That innings was everything that is good about Khan; an aggressive, counter-attacking knock punctuated by 18 fours and three sixes, with plenty of runs scored between the V – by which we mean the v between third man and fine leg. Khan has put in the hard yards on the domestic scene, notching 15 first-class tons before finally getting his Test call-up – that includes a stunning 301 not out batting at No.6. With one ton and three half-centuries across six Tests so far, Khan has shown plenty of promise at the highest level, but a lack of consistency in an already inconsistent batting order could cost him. From 11 Test innings, he has failed to reach 20 seven times.

Prasidh Krishna

Test record: Two wickets at 65

First-class record: 75 wickets at 21.58

Back-to-back wickets from Krishna! 🤯

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Krishna’s Test numbers might leave a lot to be desired, but the tall right-arm quick is a serious bowler. Able to generate steepling bounce at good pace, Krishna has excelled whenever called upon by India A (15 wickets at 16.26) and terrorised Australia A earlier this month (10 wickets at 17.3). He looks made for Australian conditions and could edge out incumbent quick Akash Deep.

Akash Deep

Test record: 10 wickets at 25.80

First-class record: 123 wickets at 22.98

WWW 🤝 Akash Deep!

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Which brings us to Akash Deep, who but for the suitability of Krishna to Australian conditions would be the firm favourite to play. With a whippy action that generates a heavy ball, Deep has an uncanny resemblance to Mohammed Shami in terms of build, action and results. Capable of moving the ball off the pitch and in the air, Deep is the kind of quick that puts you on the edge of his seat when he is on song. He’s not express, but by all accounts feels quicker to face than the speedgun suggests.

Originally published as Meet Yashasvi Jaiswal and the other unknown Indian guns who could rattle Australia this summer