They say desperate times bring desperate measures. Well, for Team India the time (read that as circumstances) cannot be more desperate as they head into the Boxing Day Test. The horrors of 36 all out are still fresh in our memories. The Aussies are all over the visitors with their mental games. There are plenty of selection issues in the Indian camp and most importantly, the team going into this acid test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) without their best batsman, Virat Kohli.
Nevertheless, with the frontline skipper not available, his deputy Ajinkya Rahane takes charge of the team for rest of the three Test matches of this Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Leading the team under pressure is nothing new for the Mumbaikar as his debut as a Test captain happened in a series-deciding game at Dharamshala back in 2017, that too against the Aussies. Under his leadership India went on to win the Test match.
However, at MCG the challenge will be far more tougher for Rahane and his boys as the level of pressure presently this Indian team is dealing with, probably can be equated to the post ‘Sydney Gate’ times. In this particular Boxing Day Test, there will be plenty at stake for the visitors, which includes their fate in the series as well as in the ongoing World Test Championship.
In hindsight, for Australia, following that emphatic triumph in Adelaide, things have gone into the autopilot mode. The momentum is in their favour and they just want to pounce on it in order to gain an unassailable lead in the series. Though they will continue to miss David Warner at the top and will once again be forced to operate with a makeshift opening pair. In the middle-order Travis Head looked out of sorts in the first Test and Indians somehow managed to keep Steve Smith quiet. Though all these shortcomings in the batting department will be overshadowed if their bowling attack works its magic yet again.
Team News
India: Much like Adelaide, on the eve of the Test match India have named its XI, in which they have made as many as four changes. Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj have been slotted to make their Test debuts as they replace out of form opener Prithvi Shaw and injured Mohammed Shami respectively whereas Rishabh Pant takes the wicketkeeping gloves from Wriddhiman Saha and in an eyebrow raising move, the team management has decided to give Kohli’s place to all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.
In the batting order Hanuma Vihari is likely to bat at crucial No. 4 position whereas Jajeda’s selection will give India an extra bowling option and some batting depth.
Playing XI:
Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Ajinkya Rahane (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
ALERT🚨: #TeamIndia for 2nd Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia to be played in MCG from tomorrow announced. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/4g1q3DJmm7
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 25, 2020
Australia: Australian captain Tim Paine has already backed both Matthew Wade and Cameron Green ahead of this Test which means they are most likely to field an unchanged XI. Meanwhile, along with their fantastic bowling attack, all eyes will be on Smith, their premier batter to get into the grooves after missing out in the pink ball Test.
Playing XI:
Joe Burns, Matthew Wade, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Tim Paine (C & WK), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon
Pitch and conditions:
Since the Women’s World T20 Final earlier this year there hasn’t been much cricket played at MCG. Hence, the pitch is expected to have some juice. In the last Boxing Day Test the surface had some pace and bounce and this wicket is expected to be identical.
Meanwhile, the Melbourne temperature will be fluctuating during this Test and there might be a few spells of rain.
Chatter from both camps:
“It is a proud moment for me to lead India. It is a great opportunity and responsibility. I don’t want to take any pressure. What I want to do is back my team-mates, back my team. And as a team we want to do well. The focus is not on me but on the team,” says stand-in Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane.
“We can’t pay any attention to mental scares or whatever anyone is talking about. I mean, India is a proud cricket country, they are an extremely talented Test match side with lots of dangerous players,” says Australian skipper Tim Paine.
Match starts: 10.30 AM Local I 5 AM IST