India's batting order, Australia batters' form in focus in pink-ball match-up – T20 IPL 2024

Big picture: Huge test for Australia

Was Perth a case of a very fine team having a bad few days and another playing as well as they possibly could, or the signs of a very fine team that has peaked and is now on the slide against one good enough to take advantage? Perhaps it’s somewhere between all that. The next few days in Adelaide should give us a clearer idea of how this Test series will unfold.

Another win for India and Australia would need a comeback only seen once before in Test history: the 1936-37 Australia side, led by Don Bradman, is the only one to come from 2-0 down to win a five-match series. Although without rain in Manchester last year, England may well have etched their name alongside them. Should Australia prevail with the pink ball in Adelaide, as they have every time at this ground, then 1-1 with three to play sets up a tantalising prospect for what follows.

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Rohit’s turn to lead from the… middle

It seems odd to say for the side 1-0 up after a 295-run victory, but there are a few unknowns and moving parts for India. They were bowled out for 36 in their previous day-night Test in Adelaide (although that record collapse came in the day time) while their last floodlit Test came in 2022. Even for a player as experienced as KL Rahul, who spoke in some detail about the challenges of facing the pink ball, it will be a first.

Then there’s the return of captain Rohit Sharma and fellow top-order batter Shubman Gill, meaning a rejig of the batting is likely, alongside debate around whether there will be any changes to the bowling attack. It was noted with some surprise by Nathan Lyon that 850-plus Test wickets – between R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja – sat on the bench last week. But India are selecting from a position of strength.

Australia have issues of their own from the loss of Josh Hazlewood to a side injury (Scott Boland is a handy replacement), concerns over the productivity of the batting and uncertainty over how much of a bowling workload Mitchell Marsh can manage even though there is an expectation he will take the ball in Adelaide.

There has been no baby-out-with-the-bathwater reaction from Australia to what happened in Perth – which in itself has annoyed some people – although if they can’t turn things around in Adelaide that philosophy will surely be tested. There has been surprise within the squad at the strength of reaction to the opening loss, but that emphasises the expectations of the team on home soil and a record that, overall, is incredibly successful. However, make no mistake, this is a vital Test for them.

Form guide

Australia LWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India WLLLW

1:23

Clarke: Bumrah out-captained Cummins in parts of Perth Test

In the spotlight: Pat Cummins and Rohit Sharma

Pat Cummins had a very managed build-up to the opening Test and came into the series without a four-day game under his belt, instead playing a domestic one-dayer and two ODIs. He is experienced enough to know what works for him – and the preparation was done in close coordination with coaches – but he didn’t have a huge impact in Perth, even when Australia bowled India out for 150 on the first day. There is significant credit in the bank for Cummins, but in the absence of Hazlewood, this is a Test where the Australia captain will need to be at his best. “Was reasonably happy with how I bowled, felt like it came out alright,” Cummins said. “Overall pretty happy with the rhythm.”

There will also be plenty of focus on his opposite number. Rohit Sharma is back having missed the first Test for the birth of his second child and with him has come an interesting batting debate. Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal combined so successfully in the second innings in Perth with a record stand of 201 that it now seems likely they will be retained at the top with Rohit slotting into the middle order. There are rumblings about Rohit’s form, too, with a top score of 52 in his last ten innings, while Jasprit Bumrah impressive marshalling the side in Perth has added another strand. Rohit’s highest Test score in Australia, an unbeaten 63 at the MCG in 2018-19, came at No. 6.

Team news: One change for Australia, wait and see for India

Boland comes in for the injured Hazlewood as Australia’s one change. It will be Boland’s first home Test in two years having not been needed at all last season. He has taken seven wickets at 13.71 in two day-nighters.

Australia: 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Nathan McSweeney, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott Boland

There may be further clarity on India’s plans when Rohit speaks later on Thursday, although it’s equally likely he will play his cards close to his chest. Rahul said yesterday that he knew where he would be batting but was told not to disclose it. Gill is expected to slot back in at No. 3. Washington Sundar‘s batting could again see him preferred over Ashwin despite the latter’s good record in Adelaide. Allrounder Nitesh Kumar Reddy is expected to retain his place.

India (possible): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rohit Sharma (capt), 6 Rishabh Pant (wk), 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Nitesh Kumar Reddy, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj

7:56

KL Rahul: ‘Focus is on winning each session and not worry about whole game’

Pitch and conditions: Chance of thunderstorm on day one

Damien Hough, the Adelaide Oval groundsman, is now very attuned to producing surfaces for day-night Test cricket. This season, he has also made one for a pink-ball Sheffield Shield game and the Test strip will have the same amount of grass – 6mm – left on. “Whether it’s a red ball or a pink one, we’re trying to replicate the Shield and the Test preparation… very similar preparations,” Hough said. “The Shield pitch showed if you didn’t get a new ball under lights, and you had a couple of set batters in, you’re able to see through some night-time cricket.” Lyon, meanwhile, said he expected the surface to take turn.

There are showers and thunderstorms forecast for the opening day, which appear likely to interrupt play and could stretch into the second day as well, but after that the weather is fine so there should be plenty of time for a result.

Stats and trivia

Australia have won all seven day-night Tests in Adelaide. The closest margin was three wickets in the first of them against New Zealand in 2015-16.

Bumrah needs one wicket to become the first bowler to reach 50 in Tests this year.

If Virat Kohli scores another Adelaide hundred he would become the first overseas batter to have four at the ground.

Quotes

“Any Test there’s pressure, when you are down there’s that little bit more, especially when you are home. But we’ve been in similar situations, whether it’s World Cups or other series where you are in a kind of must-win situation – we aren’t quite there yet. But everyone has a lot of personal pride, professional pride, so there’s pressure on you any time you play from that, let alone the scoreboard being down 1-0.”
Pat Cummins

Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo

Source: ESPN Crickinfo