Keen to bounce back in the series after an embarrassing defeat in the first Test at Adelaide, Team India resumed preparation with red-ball on Wednesday (December 23).

Shubman Gill, who was not picked for the opening Test, sweat it out in the nets alongside Mayank Agarwal, indicating that the duo could be the opening combination for the Boxing Day Test, starting December 26 in Melbourne.

The 21-year-old Gill boasts an impressive record in First-Class cricket as an opener as he could be preferred over struggling Prithvi Shaw, who returned with scores of 0 and 4 in the series opener.

KL Rahul, who has the experience of 36 Tests under his belt primarily as an opener, also honed his skills at the nets.

Also back at the nets was spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who had missed the first Test due to concussion.

According to a PTI report, Jadeja bowled an hour-long spell at the nets to Cheteshwar Pujara. He again returned for a second stint later, an indication that he could be picked in the playing XI for the second Test.

At the start of the practice session, head coach Ravi Shastri gave a pep talk to the team members.

Shastri also had a chat with wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who came out at the nets ahead of Wriddhiman Saha.

Pant, who smashed a 73-ball ton in the second warm-up game against Australia ‘A’, is likely to replace Shah in the second Test.

With Mohammad Shami ruled out of the remainder of the series with a fractured forearm, Mohammed Siraj and Navdeep Saini were seen bowling to Ajinkya Rahane alongside Shardul Thakur as the trio look to stake claim for the third pacer’s slot.

With skipper Virat Kohli returning home for the birth of his first child, Rahane will lead India in the remaining three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

(With PTI inputs)