Shaw's absence set to cause reshuffle

The dramatic injury to youngster Prithvi Shaw is set to cause a batting reshuffle for India in the first Domain Test against Australia next Thursday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed Shaw will miss the opening Test in Adelaide after suffering ligament damage to his left ankle attempting a catch in the outfield on day three of India's sole tour game against the Cricket Australia XI at the SCG.

The 19-year-old was a lock for the first Test, but his top-order partner was not set in stone after India batting coach Sanjay Bangar revealed yesterday that one opening spot and the No.6 position were still up for grabs.

KL Rahul is the incumbent opener but has been under pressure having averaged 24.70 in 2018, with just two scores above 50 in 18 Test innings.

Competing for Rahul's spot is veteran Murali Vijay, who last played Test cricket against England in August at Lord's where he recorded a pair – out on both occasions to master swing bowler James Anderson.

Rahul was tipped to retain his spot for the first Test and with Shaw ruled out, it's likely that will indeed occur, with Vijay expected to be reinstated to the XI.

Both Rahul and Vijay have posted Test centuries in Australia, and the senior batsman averages 60 on these shores with a best of 144, as well as four half-centuries in the corresponding tour four years ago.

Another option India may well contemplate is promoting regular limited-overs opener Rohit Sharma to the top of the order.

There are few batsmen more destructive against the white ball than Rohit, but the 31-year-old has never opened in Test cricket in his 25 matches to date.

While he averages 58.18 batting at No.6, Rohit looks to be in a battle with batting allrounder Hanuma Vihara for the spot at fourth-drop.

Vihari bowls off-breaks and scored 53 against the CA XI on Thursday, along with making a half-century and taking three wickets in his Test debut against England at The Oval.

The 25-year-old provides India captain Virat Kohli a fifth bowling option, which could be enough to give him the edge over Rohit.

However, should India take a punt and promote Rohit to open, both he and Vihari could find themselves in the same XI.

Bangar confirmed India will tinker with their batting order in their second innings in Sydney and the revamped list could provide an insight in to which way the tourists will go for the first Test in six days' time.

Domain Test Series v India

Dec 6-10: First Test, Adelaide Oval

Dec 14-18: Second Test, Perth Stadium

Dec 26-30: Third Test, MCG

Jan 3-7: Fourth Test, SCG

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c, wk), Josh Hazlewood (vc), Mitch Marsh (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Chris Tremain

India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (wk), Parthiv Patel (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar