Rohit Sharma won the toss and decided to bat first in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia at Adelaide Oval. This match will be played with a pink ball under lights.
India Enter with Confidence After First Test Victory
India enters this match with confidence, following their dominant performance in the first Test. Jasprit Bumrah led the team with outstanding bowling and captaincy. However, India is also looking to erase the memory of their humiliating defeat in the 2020 Adelaide pink-ball Test, where they were bowled out for just 36 runs. On that occasion, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood devastated India’s batting line-up. Currently, India leads the series 1-0 after a crushing 295-run victory in Perth.
India Makes Three Changes
India has made three changes for this Test. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill return to the team. Gill missed the first Test due to a thumb injury. Additionally, Ravichandran Ashwin is brought back, as he has been exceptional with the pink ball, taking 18 wickets in four matches at an impressive average of 13.83. The players sitting out are Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, and Washington Sundar.
Rohit Sharma’s Thoughts at the Toss
At the toss, Rohit said, “The pitch looks good and dry with enough grass covering. There will be something in it for everyone. I’ve been here for two weeks now. Ready to go now. The mood is good, pretty vibrant. What the boys did in Perth was superb. It is a long series, we will try and do most things right. The fast bowlers are happy with the break. We want to carry from where we left. We have made 3 changes. I am back, Gill is back. Ashwin is back. I am batting in the middle order.”
Australia Makes One Change
For Australia, pacer Josh Hazlewood misses out due to a strain. Scott Boland replaces him. Captain Pat Cummins commented, “It is always good to have a fresh start. The pink ball can be a little bit different. It has been a really good preparation. It is pretty muggy today. Just one change. Josh Hazlewood misses out, Scott Boland comes in.”
Team Lineups:
India (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (w), Rohit Sharma (c), Nitish Reddy, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Australia (Playing XI): Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (w), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland