The Indian cricket team suffered a shock in the Pink Ball Test in Adelaide as they were blown away for 36, their lowest-ever total in their 88-year history of Test cricket. Heading into the Melbourne Test, the team is slightly low on confidence with the absence of two key players. Virat Kohli is back in India on paternity leave and the captaincy has now come in Ajinkya Rahane’s hands. Mohammed Shami fractured his arm as he was hit by a Pat Cummins bouncer and he has been ruled out for the remainder of the series. With the batting underperforming in Adelaide, there are changes expected to be made in the Melbourne Test.
In 2018/19, the Indian cricket team were boosted by solid performances from Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara and Jasprit Bumrah as India won a Boxing Day Test for the first time in 37 years. Heading into this match, the Indian cricket team are expected to make five changes and they are expected to give their batting far more depth. In response, the Australian cricket team might go with an unchanged 11 but they will not be taking the Indian cricket team lightly. Australia will be desperate to break their six-year jinx where they have not regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Tim Paine’s side will be determined to ensure Australia have regained the trophy with yet another solid performance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Melbourne weather
The first day of the Test match will see bright sunshine but the weather on Sunday is poor with 70 percent chances of rain. As the Test match wears on, the weather is expected to stay cloudy and on the last day, the weather is once again sunny.
Pitch conditions
In the last couple of years, the Melbourne Cricket Ground has been criticised for producing sluggish and slow wickets. In 2017 and 2018, the wickets were criticised for making strokeplay difficult. The pitch will have some help for the bowlers at the start but it will then become a great deck for batting. As the game goes on, it could become a slow, low turner.
Probable Playing 11s
Australia will go unchanged as hinted by coach Justin Langer but India are expected to make five changes. KL Rahul and Shubman Gill are expected to feature while Ravindra Jadeja could replace R Ashwin. Mohammed Siraj might replace Mohammed Shami in the bowling line-up as India might hand a Test debut to two people.
India playing 11: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shubman Gill, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja/R Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah
Australia playing 11: Joe Burns, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon