The Indian Test squad will be arriving in Australia in a couple of weeks, with the first Test in Adelaide starting on 17 December.
The last time the two countries met was only two and a bit years ago, so it’s no surprise the likely line-ups won’t contain too many changes.
These are my guesses for the teams for the first test.
| No. | Australia | India | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dave Warner | Mayank Agarwal | |
| 2. | Joe Burns | Shubman Gill | |
| 3. | Marnus Labuschagne | Chetshwar Pujara | |
| 4. | Steve Smith | Virat Kohli | |
| 5. | Matthew Wade | Ajinkya Rahane | |
| 6. | Travis Head | Hanuman Vihari | |
| 7. | Tim Paine | Rishabh Pant | |
| 8. | Pat Cummins | Ravi Jadeja | |
| 9. | Mitchell Starc | Mohammad Shami | |
| 10. | Nathan Lyon | Jasprit Bumrah | |
| 11. | Josh Hazlewood | Mohammad Siraj |
To borrow from the AFL, where are the key match-ups?
(Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)
The key to this series will be the bowlers. The opening attacks for both sides are simply outstanding, and both teams will struggle to post a decent opening stand across the entire series.
That means both sides No. 3s are likely to be in early, and if the top three batsmen are considered, Australia has a slight edge.
The lynchpin to India’s success last series was Cheteshwar Pujara. He was rightly judged man of the series, and his 521 runs at 74.42 were testimony to his skill and patience in grinding down the Australian attack, which then allowed the Indian strokemakers to bat around him.
Since that series, though, his form has been indifferent. He averaged just over 36 when the rest of his teammates were scoring plenty against the South Africans, and he would have been very disappointed with a return of just 100 runs from four innings against the Black Caps.
Marnus Labuschagne, on the other hand, has gone from strength to strength and with two centuries already this Australian summer appears to be in very good form. India will be sweating on Pujara rediscovering his touch and providing the stability India needs at the top of the order.
Virat Kohli and Steve Smith pretty well cancel each other out, and for all the right reasons. It should be outstanding viewing when either of these two greats gets going.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
The next two batsmen from both sides are also pretty equal on paper. Neither Hanuma Vihari nor Ajinkya Rahane had a great tour in 2018, but in fairness to Vihari, he’s played less than a dozen Tests. Both have had at least one good series since, but they, like their teammates, struggled in New Zealand.
Matthew Wade and Travis Head are likely to get first crack in Adelaide, though Wade must be concerned about his place given his indifferent Test summer last year. Both have made good starts to the Shield season, though, and appear to be in good touch.
Once again India and Australia will be wanting far more production from their Nos. 5s and 6s, especially India, if Pujara can’t rediscover his 2018 form.
Rishabh Pant should be streets ahead of Tim Paine as a batsman/keeper, especially after his excellent 2018 summer in Australia (350 runs at 58.33). Since then, however, he’s struggled with the bat, making only 118 runs in his last seven innings. Once again, honours pretty even given Paine’s early-season ton.
Ravi Jadeja versus Nathan Lyon is likely to be a crucial match-up. With no Perth Test and flat wickets in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, these two could be in for a lot of overs this summer.
Lyon has two significant advantages. One is he’s bowling on home wickets and he’s proven he can be a game-changer because he knows how to bowl in Australia with a Kookaburra ball.
His other advantage is the bowling unit. Take your pick of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood or James Pattinson – all are outstanding quicks and all can bowl in tandem, as they showed last summer, especially against the Black Caps. The pressure they brought to bear for over after over was some of best combined bowling Australia has produced in decades.
That’s not to say Jadeja, Bumrah and Shami are not world-class – they’ve proven that many times in recent years – but the absence of Ishant Sharma and the addition of the Test novice Mohammad Siraj (or Navdeep Saini) will seriously hurt their attack.
They might get away with blooding a less experienced bowler against most other Test nations, but not against Australia in Australia.
Overall it seems Australia has a slight edge in the batting and a more significant advantage in the bowling. More has to go right in the Indian camp than does in Australia’s if recent form and results are any guide.
The series may well come down to which skipper can best manage their attack and field placements and which side can bat long and make enough runs for their attack to work with.
Tim Paine will also be hoping the series doesn’t come down to a decision about whether to use the DRS!
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Warner’s a different kettle of fish because he’s an opener and he is damn lucky that there aren’t a lot of classy options around right now at the top of the order – hard enough to find a long term partner for him, let alone someone who could replace him. However, at 34, we do have to draw a line in the sand some time soon for Warner regarding his continuous failures outside of Australia. Because he is such a home flat track bully, he will be right for this summer at least. I reckon if he makes runs this summer and then doesn’t in Saffie Land, then next summer’s home Ashes series may well be his test swansong.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
The reality is that neither Head nor Wade contributed nearly enough in last year’s Ashes, Wade’s ton and Head’s half ton both in the 2nd innings of first test being the only scores of any sort of note from either of them while the destiny of the Ashes, or indeed even the series result was still in question. Head’s prolly an alright fella, but I don’t see him as the future of our test side and I reckon if him and Wade are still around for England 2023 then it will condemn us to our 6th straight heartbreak there. That’s what makes Green such an exciting prospect, and this Pocovski lad seems alright too provided he can sort out his emotional problems. I also feel that Wade has a touch of Graeme Wood and Marcus North about him in that the only real pressure he seems to respond to is that of his place in the side being in jeopardy.
DTM
Roar Rookie
Can't believe I'm sticking up for Wade (I can't stand the bloke). However, he wasn't the only one to have failures - there was another left hander who averaged 9.5 for the series yet his position is not up for debate (and nor should it be).
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Khawaja is the same age as Warner though I am a big believer in turning to youth when the talent is there.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
It also has to be remembered only one of those two tons of Wade's had any bearing on the series as the Oval one came when the test was already well and truly lost - he needed to do that in the first innings instead of leaving everything to Smith and labuschagne. Wade did not make even a single decent first innings score in five attempts in last year's Ashes.
Tempo
Roar Rookie
Even more impressive than his strike rate - Gill averages 73.55 at First Class level as well. Interested to see how he transitions to test cricket, if he gets the chance. Shaw and Vihari played ahead of him in NZ, and Sharma may come back in too, given he played for Mumbai overnight.
Paul
Roar Guru
certainly sounds that way. I wonder why the BCCI didn't name him in the squad, subject to fitness? That's generally what we do in Australia.
dat
Roar Rookie
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/30248702/rohit-sharma-knows-long-career-not-just-ipl-next-series-sourav-ganguly Based on what ganguly said, i believe Ishant will likely be on the same flight as his teammates.They might be planning to test him out in the two warmup matches, before making a call on his inclusion to the official squad.
Tsat
Roar Guru
The efficacy of India's third seamer will determine how competitive this series be. If the third seamer disappoints, India will lose easily..
Paul
Roar Guru
sorry, I was obviously getting my Yadav's mixed up. :happy:
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Yes, I’m thinking of Umesh Yadav - sometimes the quickest of the Indians in past years, had some good series in India though not so much overseas.
Tempo
Roar Rookie
I’m far from sold on Burns but he has been harshly treated by selectors in his career - dropped 5 times in his first 16 tests, during which he scored 4 tons and averaged 40. He got dropped 2 games after scoring 170 and 65, and again immediately after scoring 180. He also had two 1 test stints in between this. Bancroft averages 25 in Australia and Harris 32. I guess I’m not as confident as you that they will succeed in test cricket, especially Bancroft who had a lot of technical flaws in his first two stints. Happy to be proven wrong!
Steele
Guest
I agree this is the likely first test line up. Only Burns position looks shaky, he hasn’t been an abject failure nor a raging success. The depth is building around the country though, with the two Vic openers going huge and Wa’s openers also looking good. Hughes has been solid for NSW for a while now also. I’m not too concerned with who they go with to partner Warner, but perhaps it’s the one position Australia could warrant blooding someone new. Pattinson will no doubt luck out to the trio of NSWs quicks, but hopefully he gets a go somewhere in the series, he is too good to be left carrying drinks all summer. If the pitches are docile, then India are a 50% chance and Greens chances of debuting increase since he’s bowling a small amount of overs now. Hopefully we can spice the pitches up somewhat. Last summer was an improvement.
John Timothy
Guest
Burns is definitely a nervous starter. Doesn't have enough patience. He often chases the wide delivery and gets slip fielder(s) into the act. Burns C Kohli B Bumrah 7 (8) Burns C Rahane B Shami 12(14)
John Timothy
Guest
I agree with you! Khawaja is a 'OPENER only' regardless of the format. He's getting old as well. If he's in a good form, he can open the innings replacing Burns. Since the no.3 & 4 positions are locked by Labuschagne and Smith, I don't see Khawaja playing (Unless, Warner is injured or unfit to play). S Marsh is way better than him. Australia need to build a core team by blending youngsters with players who have got enough FC experience and an exposure to international cricket. Pucovski, Green, Sutherland, Maddinson, Patterson, Renshaw, Whiteman, McDermott, Doran, Mac Wright, Fraser-Mcgurk, Swepson, Pope, Evans, Edwards...
John Timothy
Guest
Had Bancroft & Harris played as many HOME TESTS like Burns, they would be averaging 40 plus right now. Yes, they failed against Anderson, Broad & Archer in their first tour to England. BTW, Burns is in-and-out of the Test team for 5 years. Like Marsh brothers, he hasn't cemented his position post retirement of Rogers.
The real SC
Roar Rookie
JOe Burns and Usman Khawaja need to be dropped from the squad. They need young talent including WIll Pucovski (who played sensationally well in the Sheffield Shield series) and Marcus Harris. Cameron Bancroft will be placed in reserves. Matt Wade wicketkeeping maybe OK, but not as good as Tim Paine. On the other hand, I hope that Indian youngster, Shubman Gill is poised to make his debut for India. He is 21 years old and has a strike rate of 73.37.
Simon
Guest
Umesh Yadav mate
Nudge
Roar Rookie
Spot on James
Nudge
Roar Rookie
It would have been 3-1 Paul but each match was dominated by the team who won the toss. I remember doing a stat that year and India had played I think 13 away tests that year against Australia England and South Africa. Think they won 4 tests and lost 8. The 4 they won they batted first, and the 8 they lost they batted second. The draw they batted first and would have won if it wasn’t washed out