The Indian cricket team made a fantastic comeback after losing the first two ODI matches against Australia. The Men in Blue won the final ODI in Canberra, ending the Australian team’s winning streak at the Manuka Oval. Also, they won the T20I series by a margin of 2-1. Blue Brigade will be tuning to test match now.
All-rounder Hardik Pandya was the star with the bat, while Ravindra Jadeja supported him brilliantly. Skipper Virat Kohli was brilliant as always. Besides, the team got a new star player in T Natarajan. The left-arm fast bowler travelled to Australia as a net bowler.
However, Varun Chakhravarthy’s injury allowed him to sneak into the T20I squad. Just before the ODI series, Navdeep Saini complained of back spasms, allowing Natarajan a place in the ODI squad. The southpaw impressed a lot in the white-ball series, taking six wickets in the three T20Is.
Unfortunately, India will miss the services of Pandya and Natarajan in the Tests. Still, they have a stellar squad, and here’s a look at the predicted playing XI of the Indian team for the opening Test match in Adelaide.
Openers – Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal
With Rohit Sharma unavailable for the first two Test matches, Prithvi Shaw will likely get an opportunity to play against Australia. He was in red-hot form when the Men in Blue visited Australia last time. Unfortunately, an injury ruled him out of the Test series.
Shaw did not have a great IPL 2020. But, he had scored a half-century in the last Test against New Zealand. A good performance in the pink-ball practice match should help Shaw secure his place in the playing XI. Mayank Agarwal is confirmed to retain his spot after his brilliant home season. He also has experience of playing on Australian pitches.
Middle-order – Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), and Ajinkya Rahane
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane showcased their magnificent form in the first practice match against Australia A. The Indian Test team vice-captain scored a century in the first innings. His partner Pujara scored a half-century.
As mentioned ahead, captain Kohli will return to India after the first Test of the series. It will be interesting to see how the right-handed batsman performs in the first pink-ball Test of the Indian cricket team on foreign soil.
Wicket-keeper – Wriddhiman Saha
Wriddhiman Saha should get the nod ahead of Rishabh Pant for the opening Test. The Sunrisers Hyderabad star had a memorable IPL 2020 campaign in the UAE. Also, he looked in good nick versus Australia A in the practice match.
The Indians were down to 143/9 in the practice match. But Saha’s half-century ensured that the Indians managed to stretch the game into a draw.
All-rounders – Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin
Hanuma Vihari is almost guaranteed a place in the playing XI because he played for India on the previous Australian tour. Also, Ravindra Jadeja is nursing an injury at the moment. So, the southpaw may miss the first Test match.
Ravichandran Ashwin has been India’s number one spin bowler in red-ball cricket. Having played much cricket in Australia, Ashwin will be the key to India’s success in the series.
Bowlers – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have cemented their places in the Indian Test team. The team management rested them in a few limited-overs games to keep them fresh for the Test series. The cricket universe awaits a battle between Indian bowlers and the Aussie batsmen in pink-ball cricket at the Adelaide Oval.
The third spot in the fast-bowling lineup belonged to Ishant Sharma. But since he is unavailable and Navdeep Saini has struggled of late, Mohammed Siraj should receive his maiden Test cap.
