India vs Australia: Gautam Gambhir Optimistic of India's Chances in Upcoming Test

Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir believes Team India will need to forget what transpired on the third day of the opening Test when they face Australia in the second match beginning Saturday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). According to Gambhir, India should remember that they dominated the first two days of the pink-ball Test and only lost the match in the morning session on Day Three when Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins wreaked havoc as the visitors got bundled out for 36 -- India's lowest total in history of Test cricket -- and then went on to lose the match by eight wickets at the Adelaide Oval last Saturday.

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"They need to remember that they actually dominated the first two days, they were ahead in the game throughout the first two days," said Gambhir while speaking on Star Sports show Cricket Connected.

"They will be hurt about the one session - but again they need to remember that there are three Test matches and at the same time they won't have their best player Virat Kohli with them; their captain," he added.

The visitors will be without Virat Kohli and Mohammad Shami in the remaining three Tests.

Gambhir further said there will be a lot of onus on stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who will lead the side in the remaining three Tests.

"So there is a lot of onus on Ajinkya Rahane, plus Mohammad Shami will not be there. There will be a lot of onus on what combination they go with," said Gambhir.

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Meanwhile, For the first time in 40 years, Australia cricketers will spend Christmas and take field for the Boxing Day Test on Saturday without their families. The Boxing Day Test, beginning on December 26 i.e. the day after Christmas, has been a regular fixture in Australian summer since 1980.

Prior to 1980, Tests on Boxing Day were played only on five occasions -- in 1950, 1952, 1968, 1974 and 1975. But since 1980, it has become an iconic Test with families joining the players.

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