India started the year on a bright note in Tests at home, crushing England 4-1 and winning both the matches against Bangladesh. The recently-concluded series against New Zealand, however, proved to be a shocker, as India were whitewashed 0-3—their first series loss at home since 2013.

Indian batters, especially seniors like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, were brutally exposed on spin-friendly pitches. Up next is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, starting on November 22, in Perth, where the pitch and conditions are going to be vastly different.

With skipper Rohit Sharma likely to miss the first Test in Perth as his wife is expecting their second child, all eyes are on his possible replacement as the opener. Young Yashasvi Jaiswal has been promising at the top, adjusting his game according to the conditions and match situations. But he hasn’t had much support from Sharma at the other end.

ALSO READ: Indian squad for Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series against Australia

KL Rahul is likely to be drafted into the playing XI to partner Jaiswal at the top, despite an ordinary run in Tests this year, which saw him getting dropped after the first match against the Kiwis in Bengaluru. He scored 0 and 12 in that Test. Rahul has played five Tests this year, at an average of 33.42 and highest score of 86.

He has primarily batted in the middle order in Tests, but may be considered for the opener’s role given Sharma’s unavailability. The other option is to promote Shubman Gill to the top from the middle-order, or bring in Abhimanyu Easwaran. In fact, both Rahul and Easwaran opened in the first innings for India A in the ongoing unofficial Test at Melbourne. While Easwaran was out for a duck, Rahul scored four runs. Interestingly, none of the India A players, except Rahul, had ever played a match at the iconic MCG. India are set to play the Boxing Day Test there from December 26.

In the first unofficial Test between India A and Australia A in Mackay, too, Easwaran disappointed, scoring only seven and 12 in the two innings. Rahul did not play that match.

There will be a warm-up match between India and India A at Perth, on November 15, ahead of the first match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. It will probably be the last chance for both Easwaran and Rahul to stake a claim for the opener’s slot. Rahul’s experience might tilt the scales in his favour, having scored centuries in Australia, England and South Africa. But his overall record as an opener isn’t too promising—Rahul has scored 2,551 runs in 75 innings at an average of 34.94.

Having failed to win a single Test in the series against New Zealand, India need four wins from the five Tests in Australia to qualify for the World Test Championship Final.

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Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia, while Amnesty International has cited the country’s “jailing of women’s rights activists, suppression of free speech and rampant use of the death penalty”.

BBC Sport asked all eight singles players the same question: “Did you personally have any reservations or concerns about coming here given the record on human rights, particularly around women’s rights and the LGBTQ+ community?”

The responses were varied, although there was the sense that players felt free to speak without fear of repercussions. Many said they hoped they could help bring about change.

Several referenced calls that had taken place between players and the WTA, with Jessica Pegula – a member of the WTA’s player council – saying there was “a lot of debate back and forth”.

Zheng Qinwen, Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini all suggested showcasing top-level women’s sport could be a good example within Saudi Arabia.

Swiatek said she was trying to “observe and learn how everything works”, while Sabalenka said: “I saw everything here is quite chill.

“Me personally, I don’t have any issues playing here. I think it’s really important to bring tennis all around the world and inspire [the] young generation.”

Gauff’s response drew on her family’s experience of the move away from racial segregation in the United States.

“Knowing from the past from my grandmother, integrating her school, people aren’t going to like it, but in the long run I think it could be better for everybody,” she said.

But the 20-year-old added: “If I felt uncomfortable or felt like nothing’s happening, then maybe I probably wouldn’t come back.”

TYRONE MINGS gave away an unbelievable penalty in Aston Villa’s Champions League clash with Club Brugge tonight.

The Villa centre-back was punished for a lapse in concentration that saw him reach down and pick up the ball in his own box.

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Mings, 31, had the ball passed to him inside the area by goalkeeper Emi Martinez at a goal kick.

But the former England defender thought that Martinez was kicking him the ball for him to take the restart, prompting a VAR check for handball.

The referee had no choice but to award the penalty, which was dispatched by Hans Vanaken.

It was a hammer blow to Villa with the goal being the difference between the two teams and the match ending 1-0.

And Mings’ Champions League debut was cut short after his calamitous error.

The towering defender was hooked by manager Unai Emery just over ten minutes later.

To make matters worse, Mings now becomes the first English player in history to give away a penalty on their debut in the competition.

Unbelievably, Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes got away with the exact same error as Mings in last season’s Champions League.

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The Gunners’ star leant down to pick up a pass from David Raya against Bayern Munich, but was not called up on his moment of madness despite pleas from the Bayern players.

The decision to punish Mings comes as the ball is already considered as in-play when Martinez plays him the pass – meaning the referee has to give a penalty for handball.

The referee for Arsenal’s clash last season was lambasted by then-Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel for his decision not to strictly follow the rules.

The now-England manager, said: “I think the referee did not have the courage to give a deserved penalty today in a bit of a crazy and awkward situation.

“He admitted on the pitch that he saw the situation and that quarter-final is not enough for him to give a penalty, for a kid’s mistake. He admitted he saw the mistake the player made.

“It was a goal kick, the goalkeeper passed to a central defender and one touched the ball with the hand because he thought it was not in game but it was in game and the referee admitted it was in game and was handball. Very frustrating.”