Team India announced their playing eleven for the Boxing Day test one day prior, much like they did for the Adelaide Test. Trailing 1-0 in the series, the team have opted to play five bowlers in Melbourne. Ajinkya Rahane has named four changes from the team that tasted a humiliating defeat in the first test.
The four notable changes include Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammad Siraj. The departures of Virat Kohli and Mohammad Shami meant that India had to make at least two changes for the Boxing Day test. Check out the playing eleven right below:
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
Shubman Gill and Mohammad Siraj will make their test debut for India. Shubman Gill will open the batting alongside Mayank Agarwal with Prithvi Shaw being dropped after a poor outing in the pink ball test.
Meanwhile, Siraj will play as the third pacer alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami. The debutant beat out competition from the likes of Navdeep Saini and others to stake his claim in the playing eleven.
“See the opener’s role not only in Australia but everywhere is really crucial and I don’t want to put any pressure on our openers. Just want to give them freedom so that they can play their game,” said Rahane as quoted by ANI.
“Having said that as mentioned, openers’ role is very crucial when you get that partnership going it becomes really easy for the coming batsmen. We definitely miss Virat (Kohli), obviously when you have him it’s a great thing so we will definitely miss him as he is not there,” he added.
Ravindra Jadeja to play as the second spinner; Vihari retains his place ahead of KL Rahul
Ravindra Jadeja was expected to be a part of the upcoming test having passed his fitness test. While several expected him to be directly swapped with Hanuma Vihari, the latter has managed to retain his place in the playing eleven leaving KL Rahul once again on the bench.
On the other hand, Wriddhiman Saha failed to hold onto his place with Rishabh Pant taking over the glovework from his senior. Pant boasts an impeccable record in Australia and had struck a whirlwind century in the warm-up fixture.
India Playing XI for 2nd Test against Australia: Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.
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