Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, and Prithvi Shaw have been selected to represent India in the Adelaide Test. Umesh Yadav completes the fast bowlers trio.
The main questions for India before the Test were: maintaining confidence in the energetic Shaw, including a spinner and betting on the safest option of Ashwin, and which wicketkeeper to choose. On the eve of the day-night Test, all doubts were cleared by announcing the starting eleven.
Shaw had been under pressure, with Shubman Gill showing a better performance in the two practice matches. However, Shaw was the starting opener and proved in an innings in New Zealand that he can be devastating. Despite his scores in the practice matches, it was his loose shots that worried.Similarly, the 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.
Regarding the wicketkeeper, India left out Pant, who has been preferred over Saha in Tests outside of Asia, where most of the wicketkeeping is done standing back. 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 experience in Tests, 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
