‘You can’t drop a player who saved you from succession’: Sunil Gavaskar reacts to Team India’s likely changes in fourth Test against Australia

There are reports that India is likely to replace Akash Deep with Harshit Rana in the fourth Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. However, Sunil Gavaskar has dismissed such stories and said that the team management cannot remove a player who saved a replacement in the third Test. The series ends 1-1 and the remaining two games decide the winner.

After losing the series opener in Perth by 295 runs, Australia dominated India in Adelaide and Brisbane. The visitors lost the second contest by 10 wickets while rain saved them from defeat at the Gabba.

“It is highly unlikely that Harshit will replace Akash Deep. Why would you drop a player who saved you from the sequel in the previous test?”

Akash took three wickets and scored 31 off 44 balls at number 11, helping India avoid a second-order.

Gavaskar doesn’t want India to play second spinner in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy.

“You cannot dump Nitish Kumar Reddy. He is the fourth fast bowler. I can’t imagine India playing just two seamers and Nitish. For me, they keep the starting XI from the last game,” he added.

Nitish averaged nearly 45 with the bat in three Tests but has picked up just three wickets. Indian spinners have done well at the MCG and there is a possibility of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar taking part in the competition.

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