The past is in the past, said Rohit Sharma when asked about India‘s horror show with the bat during a pink-ball Test in Adelaide in 2020. India have been repeatedly reminded of their Adelaide history in the build-up to the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. While assistant coach Abhishek Nayar brushed off the comparisons, Rohit Sharma displayed a steely determination when addressing the topic.
Australia (AUS) are all set to take on India (IND) in the second Test of the five match series. This match will be played at the Adelaide Oval from December 6th at 9:30 AM IST. Yes, India might not play as many Test matches as Australia with the pink ball, but come into the 2nd Test with much more confidence than the hosts. Of the four day-night Tests that India have played, the only loss came in the Adelaide Test in 2020 in which they were bowled out for 36, the lowest Test total for the Asian giants.
AUS vs IND : Previous Performances
Eleven days after Team India took a 1-0 lead in the historic Border Gavaskar Trophy showdown with an impressive 295-run victory in the series-opening Test match at Optus Stadium in Perth, Rohit Sharma and his men will take the field for the second Test match, slated to take place from December 6 at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide.
India and Australia were engaged in an intense clash in the first match of the series. The balance of the game kept shifting to both sides, before India delivered the final knockout punch to take the game.
Pat Cummins and his men, aiming to win the title after a gap of 10 years, need a win, as a 2-0 defeat will leave Australia with an uphill task to win the series. In addition, the defending WTC champions have slipped to the third spot after South Africa thwarted Sri Lanka in the series-opening Test match. On the other hand, for India, this game is set to be a golden opportunity to double their lead and inch closer to marking a historic hat-trick of the series win on Australian soil.
Coming to the team dynamics, Team India is set to make two changes in their playing XI for this Test match as skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will be returning to the playing XI with Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel likely to make their way. In contrast, Australia is expected to make one change, with injured Josh Hazlewood set to make way for Scott Boland.
After the intense first match, it is time for the Pink ball Test. In the second match that two teams will be battling it out in Day/Night Test. The nightmares of the last Day/Night Test at the same venue might haunt India. However, India will take confidence from the form of the players in the series and the way they have performed in the first match of the series.
This match is a crucial one for both the teams as far as the WTC final is concerned. India need to win four matches in this series to stay alive in the race to final. On the other Australia, will be keen on making a strong comeback in the series. They will be eager to show their dominance in their own backyard.
AUS vs IND : Head to Head
Head-to-Head Record
| Matches Played | 108 |
| Won by Australia | 45 |
| Won by India | 33 |
| Drawn / No Result | 29 |
| Tied | 01 |
| First-ever Fixture | November 28, 1947 |
| Most-recent Fixture | November 22, 2024 |
AUS vs IND : Pitch Report
As it is a Day/Night game and it will be played with the pink ball, help for the pacers throughout the day can be expected. In general Adelaide is a good batting wicket, but as the pink ball comes into the scenario, the batter need to be cautious with how the approach their innings in the game.
Th Adelaide pitch is well-known for batting paradise but the dynamics might make big changes during the day-night game. The pink-ball sets to offer more swing and seam movement here. The Adelaide Oval aims to create a balanced contest between bat and ball. Meanwhile, rain is expected to play a huge role here in Adelaide.
Adelaide Oval’s pitch curator Damian Hough has confirmed that the wicket will have an even covering of grass – 6mm to be exact in the 2nd Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Speaking to the press on Wednesday, 4 December, Hough said that the conditions will help the seamers.
Asked if the conditions would be overwhelmingly favourable for fast bowlers in Adelaide, Hough said that him and his team were trying to make a balanced wicket where batters, pacers and spinners can impact the Test match. However, the curator added that under certain parameters such as under the lights or overcast conditions, the seamers will get a lot of help from the wicket
Damien Hough, the Adelaide Oval groundsman, is now very attuned to producing surfaces for day-night Test cricket. This season, he has also made one for a pink-ball Sheffield Shield game and the Test strip will have the same amount of grass – 6mm – left on.
“Whether it’s a red ball or a pink one, we’re trying to replicate the Shield and the Test preparation… very similar preparations,” Hough said. “The Shield pitch showed if you didn’t get a new ball under lights, and you had a couple of set batters in, you’re able to see through some night-time cricket.” Lyon, meanwhile, said he expected the surface to take turn.
There are showers and thunderstorms forecast for the opening day, which appear likely to interrupt play and could stretch into the second day as well, but after that the weather is fine so there should be plenty of time for a result. Thundershowers are expected on Day 1 of the Adelaide Test match, with 88 per cent chance of rain predicted on December 6. Hough said that in those days, the ball will swing and seam but it will not be because of the pitch, but due to the conditions, on the venue.
AUS vs IND : Big Picture : Huge test for Australia vs rampant India
Was Perth a case of a very fine team having a bad few days and another playing as well as they possibly could, or the signs of a very fine team that has peaked and is now on the slide against one good enough to take advantage Perhaps it’s somewhere between all that. The next few days in Adelaide should give us a clearer idea of how this Test series will unfold.
Another win for India and Australia would need a comeback only seen once before in Test history: the 1936-37 Australia side, led by Don Bradman, is the only one to come from 2-0 down to win a five-match series. Although without rain in Manchester last year, England may well have etched their name alongside them. Should Australia prevail with the pink ball in Adelaide, as they have every time at this ground, then 1-1 with three to play sets up a tantalizing prospect for what follows
It seems odd to say for the side 1-0 up after a 295-run victory, but there are a few moving parts for India. They were bowled out for 36 in their previous day-night Test in Adelaide (although that record collapse came in the day time) while their last floodlit Test came in 2022. Even for a player as experienced as KL Rahul, who spoke in some detail about the challenges of facing the pink ball, it will be a first.
Then there’s the return of captain Rohit Sharma and fellow top-order batter Shubman Gill, meaning a rejig of the batting, along with a debate around whether there will be any changes to the bowling attack. Rohit confirmed that Rahul will continue to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, while he will bat “somewhere in the middle”. It was noted with some surprise by Nathan Lyon that 850-plus Test wickets – between R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja – sat on the bench last week. But India are selecting from a position of strength.
Australia have issues of their own from the loss of Josh Hazlewood to a side injury (Scott Boland is a handy replacement), concerns over the productivity of the batting and uncertainty over how much of a bowling workload Mitchell Marsh can manage even though there is an expectation he will take the ball in Adelaide.
There has been no baby-out-with-the-bathwater reaction from Australia to what happened in Perth – which in itself has annoyed some people – although if they can’t turn things around in Adelaide that philosophy will surely be tested. There has been surprise within the squad at the strength of reaction to the opening loss, but that emphasizes the expectations of the team on home soil and a record that, overall, is incredibly successful. However, make no mistake, this is a vital Test for them.
AUS vs IND : Vital Stats that matters
- Australia have won all seven day-night Tests in Adelaide. The closest margin was three wickets in the first of them against New Zealand in 2015-16.
- Bumrah needs one wicket to become the first bowler to reach 50 in Tests this year.
- If Virat Kohli scores another Adelaide hundred he would become the first overseas batter to have four at the ground
AUS vs IND : Team News
Australia :
Australia have already announced their playing XI. They have made just one change, with Scott Boland coming in place of Josh Hazlewood. Australia batters Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne were able to overcome injury scares to be in contention for the second Test. Boland comes in for the injured Hazlewood as Australia’s one change. It will be Boland’s first home Test in two years having not been needed at all last season. He has taken seven wickets at 13.71 in two day-nighters.
Australia Playing XI : Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk.), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon
India :
The positions of Rahul and Jaiswal are set. Rohit will bat in the middle, but where is a question Gill is expected to slot back in at No. 3. Virat Kohli is at No. 4. So Rohit could be in at No. 5 ahead of Rishabh Pant. Washington Sundar’s batting could again see him preferred over Ashwin despite the latter’s good record in Adelaide. Allrounder Nitesh Kumar Reddy is expected to retain his place.
India captain Rohit Sharma will return for this Test match after having confirmed that he will be batting in the middle-order. The best guess is that Rohit Sharma replaces Dhruv Jurel in the line-up and Shubman Gill replaces Devdutt Padikkal. Ravichandran Ashwin, who has 16 wickets in 3 Tests at Adelaide, may return to the fray in this Test match. In case that happens, he will replace Washington Sundar
If horses for courses is the way to go, another change could be made in the bowling department. Akash Deep might get a look in, replacing Harshit Rana. The KKR pacer, who despite making a tremendous debut in Perth, might not be the ideal choice for the pink ball Test match. Akash Deep has impeccable lines and lengths and can prove to be very nagging with the pink ball.
India Predicted Playing XI : Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma (c), Rishabh Pant (wk.), Nitish Kumar Reddy, R Ashwin/Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana/Akash Deep.
AUS vs IND Fantasy XI : Rishabh Pant, Virat Kohli, Travis Head, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mitchell Marsh, Nitish Reddy, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Jasprit Bumrah, Scott Boland, Mohammad Siraj
AUS vs IND : Players in the spotlight : Pat Cummins and Rohit Sharma
Pat Cummins had a very managed build-up to the opening Test and came into the series without a four-day game under his belt, instead playing a domestic one-dayer and two ODIs. He is experienced enough to know what works for him – and the preparation was done in close coordination with coaches – but he didn’t have a huge impact in Perth, even when Australia bowled India out for 150 on the first day.
There is significant credit in the bank for Cummins, but in the absence of Hazlewood, this is a Test where the Australia captain will need to be at his best. “Was reasonably happy with how I bowled, felt like it came out alright,” Cummins said. “Overall pretty happy with the rhythm.”
There will also be plenty of focus on his opposite number. Rohit Sharma is back having missed the first Test for the birth of his second child and with him came an interesting batting debate which has seen the captain take a decision for team. Rahul and Jaiswal, who combined so successfully in the second innings in Perth with a record stand of 201, will stay at the top.
There are rumblings about Rohit’s form, too, with a top score of 52 in his last ten innings, while Jasprit Bumrah impressive marshalling the side in Perth has added another strand. Rohit’s highest Test score in Australia, an unbeaten 63 at the MCG in 2018-19, came at No. 6.
AUS vs IND : Match Prediction
India looks more a stronger side as Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are likely to be slotted in and can get the job done against Australia who are missing Josh Hazelwood. Can India pile up pressure on Australia, overcoming the scars of 36-all out at same venue in BGT 2020-21. A 2-0 lead would give them a huge mental edge for the rest of the series. Rohit Sharma and his men will be pumped up to seize the big moment in the series.