AUS vs IND: Australia name playing XI for Adelaide Test
Australia have confirmed their playing XI for the second Test against India of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, to be played at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. After a humiliating 295-run defeat in the first Test in Perth, the Pat Cummins-led side is under tremendous pressure as their qualification for the upcoming World Test Championship final is also in jeopardy. The hosts will have to return to winning ways and the Day-Night Test is a perfect opportunity for them, given that the team hasn’t lost a single one at home.
They have made one change to their squad as Scott Boland has been called up to replace Josh Hazlewood. The 35-year-old has played 10 Test matches and picked up 35 wickets at an average of 20.34. Hazlewood in the meantime will miss out owing to a ‘low grade left side injury’, as Cricket Australia confirmed. The injury isn’t as serious, but the team management isn’t ready to risk him now.
In the meantime, Boland hasn’t played Test cricket since Ashes 2023. He has been part of the scheme of things for a long time, but with Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Hazlewood available, Boland never got a fair share of opportunities.
Mitchell Marsh, on the other hand, retained his spot in the playing XI. There were doubts if the all-rounder would be available for selection given that the cricketer is carrying a minor injury. He has batted well in the nets but didn’t bowl at all and the team management was contemplating dropping him for the second Test and play uncapped Beau Webster, who has been called up to the squad after the Perth Test.
As things stand, Marsh will be playing only as a specialist batter and Marnus Labuschagne could be the fourth seam option for the hosts. Apart from that, Australia hasn’t changed their combination. They would want their senior batters Usman Khawaja, Labuschagne, and Steve Smith to step up and go about business, getting some runs under their belt. That is one area in which they failed massively in the West Test.
Australia Playing XI
Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
