The second Test of the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and India will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne. India will be seething from a humiliating loss in the first Test at Adelaide, which saw them making their lowest Test score-36.
The performance of Team India in the Adelaide Test was dissected to death by analysts and fans and most of them came to the conclusion that changes were needed in order for India to bounce back in the series in hopes of retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Mind you, Virat Kohli will not be available for the remainder of the three-Test matches including this MCG Test, while Rohit Sharma is expected to be available for the third Test onwards. Therefore, Team COC presents to you the Predicted Playing XI for Team India for the MCG Test.
Mayank Agarwal is confirmed to open the innings for India in the MCG, the place where he had made his debut a year ago. However, it has been majorly opined that Prithvi Shaw might not get another chance to prove his worth especially after being mentally shot after the Adelaide failures.
This might mean Shubman Gill making his Test debut to partner Mayank Agarwal. Gill looked good in the third ODI and in the practice games as well. He was aggressive in his batting approach and looked more compact in technique than Shaw and hence might get the nod for the traditional red-ball Test.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane will need to elevate their game with the bat in Virat Kohli’s absence from here on in the Test series. Replacing Kohli at no.4 will most probably be KL Rahul. Rahul has been described as one of the most talented batsmen at the moment and he has cemented his place in the white-ball team.
Therefore it is time for him to do the same in Tests as well, and what better opportunity than stepping up for the team in absence of the captain.
Another causality of the Adelaide Test debacle might be Wriddhiman Saha, whose keeping was not seen by many upto the mark, while his batting just couldn’t stand in front of Starc, Hazlewood, and Cummins’ guile and pace.
Rishabh Pant is expected to slot in as the keeper for the MCG Test given that he scored a brilliant ton the last time he played a Test in Australia and his aggression suits the team well, as they look for some counter-attack. The selectors have shown immense faith in Pant, and he needs to repay it back.
Also, possible inclusion might be of Ravindra Jadeja in place of Hanuma Vihari. Vihari didn’t do much wrong, but his scores of 16 and 8 didn’t exactly radiate confidence and the short ball has been his undoing.
Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja has improved on his batting quite a lot in the last 2-3 years and is one of the leading spinners in the world. His inclusion as an all-rounder will help India field five proper bowlers without compromising the batting strength. He will get help from his partner-in-crime R Ashwin.
Together they have done much damage to opposition, but usually on home pitches, but now will have a chance to do the same on the foreign pitch and show the world, they are not just deadly at home, but effective elsewhere also.
Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah will helm the fast bowling duties after losing Mohammad Shami to a broken hand. This means either Mohammed Siraj or Navdeep Saini will get to make their Test debut.
Siraj might be preferred over Saini, given that he was chosen in the Test squad and did well in the practice game, bowling at 90 mph and getting both swing and bounce from the pitch due to his hard work and skills.
India will be severely handicapped without Virat Kohli, who looked by far their best batsman at Adelaide and whose runout was the turning point for India in the match. However, the Indian team management will be looking forward to MCG Test and probably go in with a positive mindset and a nothing lose attitude, as Australia will be expecting them to suffer from the loss of Shami and Kohli.
This MCG Test will be a wonderful one given that it is a traditional red-ball match, with an Indian team looking to bounce back in the series.
COC Predicted Team India playing XI for MCG Test:
Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
