Returning skipper Rohit Sharma will walk into the Indian playing XI for the second Test in Adelaide in place of young Devdutt Padikkal but in-form KL Rahul’s batting slot in the pink ball warm-up game in Canberra will certainly keep everyone interested. It will all depend on whether the injured Shubman Gill gets fit in time for the match, failing which Rahul might be slotted at number three in place of Padikkal. But there is a school of thought that believes the team might be served better if Rohit bats in the middle order, preferably at number five or six.
Rahul was seen more as a makeshift opener due to Rohit’s absence going into the opening Test in Perth. But he has been technically the most compact among all Indian batters across both innings at Optus Stadium, with scores of 26 and 77.
Having already played an India A game at the MCG and now a Test match, Rahul has settled nicely at the top of the order.
The Indian captain, who is also searching for runs, has been opening in Test matches for the past five years.
Rohit’s numbers with the willow has been a bit underwhelming during the five home Tests but those were played on difficult tracks. On Australian pitches, with true carry and bounce, he could get back to form with liberal usage of the horizontal bat shots.
Gill, who has suffered a hairline fracture during the intra-squad game at the WACA, missed the first Test, and is yet to start batting in the nets.
Unless Gill gets adequate net practice, the team management might not risk him, with only a couple of training sessions available with pink ball in Adelaide. If he is fit, then Dhruv Jurel will automatically get dropped.
Spin bowling options in Adelaide
The only possible tactical change in playing XI at the Adelaide Oval could be in spin bowling. The two senior spinners — Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja — were benched in Perth at the expense of Washington Sundar.
If one goes back to the 2021 Pink Ball Test in Adelaide, Ashwin with figures of 4 for 45, including a beauty to dismiss Steven Smith, gave India the first innings lead before the 36-all out happened.
But, going by current form in the nets, there is not much to choose between Ashwin, Jadeja and Washington at the moment. There is also the fact that in Pink Ball Tests, the spinners don’t come into equation a lot, and batting becomes key.
Jadeja’s batting has been key to India’s overseas Test success but the left-handed Washington has also been more than a decent batter in Tests. His 89-run partnership with Virat Kohli in Perth was instrumental in taking India past the 500-run lead.
At the Adelaide Oval, expect some rejigging in batting order if not in the playing XI.
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