Justin Langer has underlined the fact that the absence of Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami gives Australia an advantage in the remainder of the ongoing four-Test series against India.
Justin Langer said the absence of two of best players certainly weakens the visiting Indian side which is looking to stage a fightback after suffering defeat in the series opener in Adelaide.
Justin Langer: Virat Kohli One Of All-time Great While Mohammed Shami Is Glue For Bowling Attack
Virat Kohli has headed home on paternity leave after captaining India in the Pink-ball Test in which the visitors were bundled out for their lowest-ever Test total of 36. India suffered another major blow when fast bowler Mohammed Shami too was ruled out of the remainder of the series after suffering a fracture to his hand during the 1st Test.
“Virat Kohli is one of the all-time great players and Shami I think is a real glue for the Indian bowling attack, because he’s so miserly, he’s very, very skilful,” Justin Langer told the press on Thursday.
“So of course it gives us an advantage. But we just know we have to keep working hard in all the processes we’ve been talking about for some time. We know we have to start strongly on day one, we know we need to keep the pressure on Rahane if he is the new captain.”
“So our processes don’t change, but when you take the best players out of any cricket team, then of course it weakens them, that is just reality, and it gives us an advantage.”
India will be led by Ajinkya Rahane in the 2nd Boxing Day Test which will be played in Melbourne from December 26. The visitors won the series back in 2018-19 in Australia in their last tour Down Under where they beat the hosts in the Boxing Day Test but the odds are stacked against India, especially after the Adelaide debacle where they were bundled for their lowest ever Test score of 36.
Justin Langer: Australia Likely To Field Unchanged XI In Boxing Day Test
Meanwhile, Justin Langer also confirmed that Australia will not make any changes to their winning combination for the 2nd Test. There were concerns about the opening combination in the lead up to the first Test but Joe Burns and Matthew Wade found lost form during the 2nd innings despite failing in the 1st innings in Adelaide.
“I’d be a pretty courageous man to change the XI for this Test match after the last one. So at this stage, unless something happens over the next few days, and it can happen in the world we live in, we’ll go in with the same XI, I would say,” Justin Langer said.
Australia will be without the services of David Warner for the 2nd Test as well as the in-form opener was ruled out due to a groin injury from which he is currently recovering. David Warner reached Melbourne from Sydney well ahead of the 2nd Test but he is yet to join the rest of the squad due to Cricket Australia’s bio-bubble protocols.