Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, and Prithvi Shaw have been selected to represent India in the Adelaide Test. Umesh Yadav will complete the trio of fast bowlers. These were the main questions India was considering two days before the start of the Test: whether to continue backing the energetic Shaw, whether to play with a spinner and persist with the safer option of Ashwin, and which of the wicketkeepers would be chosen.
On the eve of the day-night Test, they cleared up all doubts by announcing the XI.
Shaw has been under pressure, with Shubman Gill showing better performance in the two practice matches.
Shaw, as a starting opener, demonstrated in one of the four innings in New Zealand that he can be devastating. He scored 0, 19, 40 and 3 in the two practice matches, but beyond the scores, it was his loose shots that worried.
It is understood that, with an established middle order, India sought continuity at the top and opted for the opener.Similarly, the Test’s titular spinner, especially with the absence of Ravindra Jadeja due to injury and concussion, kept his place. The last time India chose not to include Ashwin in an opening match of a series was on the 2014-15 Australia tour.
Although it’s reasonable to play Ashwin, this time it could have been argued not to play any spinner in the first match of the series.
Regarding the wicketkeeper, India left out the regular Pant, who has been preferred over Saha in Tests outside of Asia, where most of the wicketkeeping is done standing back.
The team’s technical body seems to have decided that the pink ball does a lot and will require a more established pure wicketkeeper.
Yadav was the favorite to be India’s third fast bowler, replacing the injured Ishant Sharma. Not only does he have Test experience, this is his fourth tour of Australia, but he also impressed in the only practice match he played.
India 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
