India vs Australia: Prithvi Shaw and Wriddhiman Saha in the side, Umesh Yadav gets the nod as third pacer for Adelaide Test
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After over a month of speculations, India‘s playing XI for the first Test in Adelaide is out. The Border Gavaskar series opener will be a day-night affair, India’s first away from home. The opening slot in Rohit Sharma‘s absence was the most debated about. And it is Prithvi Shaw who has been awarded a chance by the team management. The young opener has been struggling lately across formats. And was unable to get going in the warm-up games. Yet the think tank has chosen to back the youngster.
His inclusion means his U-19 teammate Shubman Gill has to wait longer for his Test debut. Gill was impressive in the second warm-up game as he ramped up scores of 43 and 65. Yet failed to break into the side for the first Test.
Experienced Wriddhiman Saha prefered over Rishabh Pant
A whirlwind ton in the second warm-up game was a welcome change for Rishabh Pant. The young Delhi glovesman was confident of making a comeback in all whites. But Wriddhiman Saha‘s experience and superior glovework saw him being selected over Pant for the pink-ball Test. Saha was impressive with the bat in the first warm-up game scoring a half-century to save the game for India. None the less, it is Saha’s experience with the pink ball, having played in the Deodar Trophy and in India’s first D/N Test, which worked in his favour.
Ishant Sharma‘s absence left a big void in the pace battery. And experienced Umesh Yadav has been backed by the think tank to step up in Ishant’s absence. India boasts the likes of Mohammad Siraj and Navdeep Saini in the reserves. Both the rookie seamers did a fairly good job in the tour games. But it looks like the team management is looking to get off to a strong start in the series by fielding an experienced line-up.
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Anshuman Mahapatra
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