AUS vs IND: 2nd Test Preview – India look to redeem themselves after Adelaide debacle
Tim Paine’s Australia and Ajinkya Rahane’s India will take on each other at the MCG in the second Test starting Saturday. It is the Boxing Day Test – India’s first in the series without captain Virat Kohli, who has taken paternity leave, in the last 4 tours.
The first Test was one to forget for the Men in Blue, as they were decimated by Cummins and Hazelwood on Day 3, losing by 8 wickets after setting a mere target of 90. This was after they had dominated proceedings till Day 2 with a 62-run lead and 9 wickets in hand.
Not only did the loss hurt India, but the injury of their premier fast bowler Mohammed Shami has also ruled him out of the series. India will look to go ahead with this match on a fresher note, and a win here can very well keep them in the hunt for the series. This match happens to be the 100th Test between the two cricketing rivals.
Match Info:
Match 1- Australia vs India
Venue- Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Time – 5:00 AM IST
Head To Head:
Team News:
Australia:
David Warner has been ruled out of the second Test and is unlikely to play the third Test too due to the sustaining groin injury. Australia are likely to not tinker with the winning momentum, as reports suggest that they are going with the same playing XI. Tim Paine was extremely proud of his bowling unit’s performance in the post-match interview. Steve Smith would be looking to get back into form, as he hasn’t scored a Test ton in his last 7 matches.
India:
Captain Rahane has a huge assignment here, as he has to fill the void of Virat Kohli, the Test Cricketer. Kohli’s unavailability and Shami’s injury means that Shubhman Gill and Mohammad Siraj are likely to make their debut on Boxing Day as per most reports. Rishabh Pant is also expected to make a comeback after a poor outing by Wriddhiman Saha in the Pink Ball Test, as the team would look to strengthen its batting in the absence of Virat. It will be interesting to see if the management backs Shaw for one more game. Ravindra Jadeja was also seen practising intensely and can get a game if India decides to go in with the 5-bowler strategy.
