NEW DELHI: Opener KL Rahul’s prolonged run of failures remains a worry, but India will start as the overwhelming favourite in the second Test match against Australia that begins on Friday.
The host will head into the contest high on confidence after notching up a convincing innings victory in the series opener. The match will be extra special for long-format specialist Cheteshwar Pujara, who is all set to play his 100th Test.
The India top-four, including Pujara, will be keen to come up with an improved and collective performance as the men at the top, barring skipper Rohit Sharma, struggled to an extent on the slow surface in Nagpur.
With Virat Kohli leaving no stone unturned in the run-up to the match at his ‘home’ ground, the India great’s battle with off-spinners Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy could be enticing.
Time running out for Rahul
Time is running out for the struggling Rahul as the versatile Shubman Gill is warming the bench despite being in prime form. Aware that the squad for the final two Tests are yet to be announced, the 30-year-old will be under pressure to perform.
While Rahul’s lean patch is a cause for concern, spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s sizzling form bodes well for India, which is expected to run riot in another slow turner at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium here. After being bundled out for just 92 runs in its second innings of the first Test, Australia will have to bat out of its skin to even stretch the match to the fifth and final day.
Shreyas or SKY at No.5?
Shreyas Iyer has completed his rehabilitation after suffering a lower back injury and joined the team. As per the current team management’s convention, any player who was performing well before getting injured would get his place back in the eleven.
India head coach Rahul Dravid, in fact, said on Wednesday that “if Iyer is able to take workload of five-day Test, he will walk into the side”. In case the management feels it is risky to play Shreyas, who was out of competitive cricket for over a month, exciting middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav will retain his place.
Visitor has calls to make
Opening batter David Warner’s poor run in Tests is a matter of concern for the visiting team and whether he gets another chance remains to be seen. Having drafted left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann into the squad, Australia will have to decide whether to go with three specialist slow bowlers. If fit to play, Mitchell Starc could replace Scott Boland.
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