Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, and Prithvi Shaw have been selected to represent India in the next Test in Adelaide. Umesh Yadav completes the trio of fast bowlers.
The main questions for India before the Test revolved around Shaw, the inclusion of a spinner, and the choice of wicketkeeper. Finally, the doubts were cleared when the starting eleven was announced.
Shaw, despite Shubman Gill’s good performance in the practice matches, who impressed figures like Allan Border and Sunil Gavaskar, kept his place as opener. Although his scores in the practice matches were not high, continuity in the lineup was valued.
Similarly, Ashwin, the starting spinner, kept his place, especially in the absence of Ravindra Jadeja due to injury. The decision not to include Ashwin in the past was criticized, so experience was chosen.
Regarding the wicketkeeper, India opted for Saha instead of Pant. The decision was based on Saha’s superior skills as a wicketkeeper, especially in conditions where the pink ball is more prone to move.
Yadav, with experience touring Australia, was selected as the third fast bowler, replacing the injured Ishant Sharma. His performance in the practice match was key to his inclusion.India’s Line-up: Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
