India defines XI for Adelaide Test: Shaw, Ashwin and Saha start

India Defines Its Starting Eleven for the Adelaide Test

Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, and Prithvi Shaw were selected to represent India in the Adelaide Test, with Umesh Yadav as the third fast bowler. These were the main questions India considered before the Test: keeping Shaw, choosing a bowler, and opting for Ashwin, and which of the wicketkeepers would play. On the eve of the day-night Test, all doubts were cleared by naming the starting eleven. Shaw was under pressure, with Shubman Gill showing a better performance in the two practice matches. However, Shaw was the starting opener and proved in a four-run innings in New Zealand that he can be devastating. He scored 0, 19, 40 and 3 in the two practice matches, but more than the scores, it was his loose shots that worried.

Similarly, the first-choice bowler, especially with Ravindra Jadeja absent due to injury, kept his place. The last time India chose not to include Ashwin in an opening match of the series was on the 2014-15 Australia tour, a decision that was criticized. While it’s reasonable to play Ashwin, one could have argued against playing a spinner in the opening match of the series this time. In day-night Tests in Australia, spinners have averaged 49 despite Lyon’s superlative average of 25 in these matches.

In the case of the wicketkeeper, India left out the regular Pant, who has been preferred over Saha in Tests outside of Asia, where most of the wicketkeeping work is done standing up. The management team seems to have decided that the pink ball will do a lot and will require a more established wicketkeeper.

Yadav was the favorite to be India’s third fast bowler, replacing the injured Ishant Sharma. Not only does he have Test experience, but he also impressed in the only practice match he played, taking 3 for 48 and 1 for 14 and scoring useful runs.India’s Starting XI: 1 Mayank Agarwal, 2 Prithvi Shaw, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt.), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Hanuma Vihari, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Jasprit Bumrah