The hosts Australia and the visitors India will compete in the second game of the four-match Test series from Saturday (26th December) morning at Melbourne Cricket Ground (Melbourne).
The home team Australia are currently leading this series by the 1-0 margin. While Adelaide Oval (Adelaide) hosted the first game of this Test series with the pink-ball in day/night format, the hosts won that game by 8 wickets after bundling out the Indian team for 36 runs in their second innings – India’s lowest completed Test innings total.
Australia vs India, 2nd Test: Complete Squads
Australia: Tim Paine (C/wk), Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade
India: Ajinkya Rahane (C), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj
Australia vs India, 2nd Test: Playing XI
Australia (predicted XI): Joe Burns, Matthew Wade, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Tim Paine (C/wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
India (announced XI): Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (C), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Australia vs India, 2nd Test: Fantasy Cricket Tips
Australia
Captain Tim Paine won the Player of the Match award in the previous Test match for playing a game-changing and inspiring knock of 73 not out. Meanwhile, the right-arm pacers Pat Cummins (3/68 & 4/21) and Josh Hazlewood (1/47 & 5/8) dominated during India’s second innings in the previous Test match. They were the reason why India were bundled out for their lowest ever Test innings total (36). Earlier in that Test match, the left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc (4/53 & 0/7) played a key role to restrict the visitors for a low first innings total.
India
The visitors Indian team will surely miss their regular captain Virat Kohli and right-arm fast bowler Mohammed Shami in this remaining Test series. Cheteshwar Pujara and stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane will have to play major roles in the batting line-up to help the visiting team in this tougher Test series.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s (4/55) brilliant bowling performance in the last Test was one of the most shining pictures for the Indian team in this tour. Also, the pacers Umesh Yadav (3/40) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/52) impressed with the pink ball during Australia’s first innings in that Test.
Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:
Captain – Steven Smith, Pat Cummins, Cheteshwar Pujara
Vice-captain – Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc
Suggested Playing XI for Fantasy Cricket (1):
Wicket-keeper(s) – Tim Paine
Batsmen – Steven Smith (C), Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane
All-rounder(s) – Cameron Green, Ravichandran Ashwin
Bowlers – Pat Cummins (vc), Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Jasprit Bumrah
Suggested Playing XI for Fantasy Cricket (2):
Wicket-keeper(s) – Matthew Wade, Rishabh Pant
Batsmen – Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Cheteshwar Pujara (C)
All-rounder(s) – Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja
Bowlers – Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav
