Team India (Photo Source: BCCI/X)
India defeated Australia by 295 runs in the first Test at Optus Stadium in Perth 10 days ago under the leadership of stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah. The visitors struggled in the first innings with the bat but overall, there were multiple positives, eventually leading them to the win. The team would be hoping to pick up a win in Adelaide as well to extend their lead in the series.
A win in the next clash will strengthen India’s position for securing one of the final spots of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle. However, the Adelaide clash will be a Pink-ball Test which will not be a cakewalk for the side. The last time these two teams locked horns in a pink-ball Test was back in the 2020-21 series, where India were bowled out for 36 runs.
The Adelaide pitch curator recently mentioned that the pacers will enjoy the conditions with a consistent 6mm layer of grass. He expects the spinners to come into play from Day 3 onwards. The surface in Adelaide has traditionally been balanced for both the batters and bowlers.
Here’s India’s Predicted XI for the second Test against Australia:
Openers: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal:
After skipper Rohit Sharma’s return, there were talks about the conundrum regarding Yashashvi Jaiswal’s opening partner. But KL Rahul’s impressive performance in the first Test has given him an edge and he is set to continue batting at the top of the order. Rahul, who was struggling with form before this series, made a strong case for himself after smashing a sublime fifty in the second innings.
Rahul’s opening partner Jaiswal, on the other hand, was dismissed for a duck in the first innings of the Perth Test. However, the southpaw made a roaring comeback with his jaw-dropping 161-run knock which ultimately helped India to give a huge target to the Aussies. The youngster also became the second batter in history to have converted each of their first four Test hundreds into 150-plus scores.
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Middle order – Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant:
Team India is expected to see the return of Shubman Gill in the playing XI after the right-hander missed the Perth Test with a fractured thumb. Gill was been seen practicing hard at the nets with the side-arm specialists and looked in good touch. Meanwhile, the Punjab-born scored an unbeaten fifty in the warm-up game against Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra.
Virat Kohli finally ended his Test-ton drought after smashing an unbeaten century in the second innings of the first Test. In his 143-ball stay, the veteran hit eight fours and two sixes and looked comfortable against the Australian bowling attack. Interstingly, Kohli’s Test century came after 492 days and he is expected to carry on the same momentum.
Skipper Rohit Sharma is likely to bat at the No.5 position. The right-hander has batted at this position in nine Test matches so far in his career and smashed over 400 runs. Rohit has been struggling with form recently but batting lower down the order can see him shift gears. In the warm-up game, the 37-year-old was caught in slips after just a brief stay at the crease.
Dynamic wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is expected to walk in after the skipper. Pant looked in good touch in the first inning of the series opener but was dismissed cheaply in the subsequent innings. The team has high expectations from the southpaw as he has dominated in the last two tours of Australia.
All-rounders – Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravichandran Ashwin:
Nitish Kumar Reddy will retain his place in the XI after a brilliant debut Test match. With his bat, Reddy smashed 79 runs in the match overall, including a fiery unbeaten knock of 38 in the second innings. He also clinched his first Test wicket in the form of Mitchell Marsh. The youngster also performed brilliantly in the Canberra warm-up clash and will be expected to continue his sublime touch.
Washington Sundar, who was the sole spinner in the last match, might be replaced by veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin due to his impressive record with the pink ball. The Tamil-Nadu-Born has taken 18 wickets in pink-ball Tests and has claimed 16 wickets in three games at Adelaide. Additionally, the surface is expected to assist spinners from Day 3 according to the pitch curator, and India could use Ashwin’s services in those conditions.
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Bowlers – Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj:
The pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Harshit Rana is set to continue. All three of them had a memorable series opener. Heading the pace battery, Bumrah was the pick of the bowlers clinching eight wickets and providing the side breakthroughs in crunch situations.
His partner, Siraj, also looked great with the new ball in his hand. The speedster picked eight wickets including a crucial three-wicket haul in the last innings. His key scalps included Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. The 30-year-old will once again run in hard and give the Aussie batters a tough time at the crease.
Harshit Rana will be the third pacer in the XI. The right-armer performed brilliantly in his debut game, taking four wickets, which included Travis Head. Rana would be riding high on confidence which was also reflected in the warm-up game where he bagged four wickets.
India’s predicted XI against Australia in the second Test:
KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah.
Disclaimer: This latest news is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.