Nov 22, (V7N) - In the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Perth Stadium, India captain Jasprit Bumrah won the toss and chose to bat, making some surprising team selections. Despite a recent 3-0 loss at home to New Zealand, India comes into this series with confidence, having won their last two series in Australia.

Bumrah, leading the side in place of regular skipper Rohit Sharma (who is absent due to the recent birth of his second child), noted that the wicket looked good, though it was expected to quicken after the first session. He expressed confidence in the team's preparations.

In a major shock, India's experienced spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were dropped from the playing XI. Bumrah leads the pace attack, supported by Mohammed Siraj, with debutants Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana included in the squad. Washington Sundar was selected as the sole spin option.

In the batting lineup, KL Rahul replaced Rohit Sharma at the top, and Devdutt Padikkal filled in for the injured Shubman Gill. Dhruv Jurel earned a spot in the middle order ahead of Sarfaraz Khan.

Australia, led by Pat Cummins, also made changes, with Nathan McSweeney making his debut as an opening batter after the retirement of David Warner. Mitchell Marsh takes on the all-rounder role with Cameron Green sidelined due to injury. Australia’s lineup also features the experienced Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood in the bowling attack.

The match is set to be a closely contested affair, with both teams bringing fresh lineups and strategies.

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