Team India have revealed their playing XI for the first Test against Australia starting from December 17 (Thursday) at the Adelaide Oval. The first of the four-match series will be a pink-ball contest and all eyes will be in Adelaide over the next five days. The visitors made a couple of interesting picks for the opening encounter.
Incidentally, this will be India’s 2nd day-night contest after their outing against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in 2019. On the other hand, Australia have played seven games winning four of them. Virat Kohli & Co will have to play out of their skin to secure a victory in Adelaide.
The management has gone with Prithvi Shaw to open alongside regular opener Mayank Agarwal. Many expected Shubhman Gill to share the duties alongside Mayank considering his recent form, but the management went for Shaw, who missed the last series against Australia owing to an injury. The visitors went with their regular middle-order which consisted of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, and Hanuma Vihari.
Rishabh Pant dropped from India’s playing XI
However, in a shocking decision, India have dropped incumbent Rishabh Pant from the playing XI to accommodate Wriddhiman Saha. Incidentally, Pant had smacked an outstanding century in the second warm-up game off just 73 balls to take the Australian attack to cleaners. In the wake of it, many thought the young Delhi cricketer to make the cut but the think tank showed trust in the veteran Bengal wicket-keeper.
UPDATE🚨: Here’s #TeamIndia’s playing XI for the first Border-Gavaskar Test against Australia starting tomorrow in Adelaide. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/WbVRWrhqwi
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 16, 2020
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Experienced campaigner Ravichandran Ashwin will be the lone spinner in the side as Kuldeep Yadav still waits for an opportunity. Ashwin’s batting will come in handy for India in the absence of Ravindra Jadeja, who still nurses his concussion and hamstring injury he suffered in the 2nd T20I.
Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, and Umesh Yadav will form the pace attack who will look to replicate their form as they did in 2018-19 when India won their first Test in Australia. Umesh will have to shoulder more responsibilities in the absence of senior Ishant Sharma, who is out of the tour with an injury he suffered during IPL.
Team India’s playing XI for first Test:
Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
