Watch out Australia! India is set to get even STRONGER for second Test

India is set to field an even stronger lineup for the second Test against Australia in Adelaide after thrashing the home side by 295 runs in the first Test in Perth.

While the visitors were led brilliantly by Player of the Match Jasprit Bumrah at Optus Stadium, Rohit Sharma will lead the side in Adelaide after joining the touring squad following the birth of his child. Superstar No.3 Shubman Gill could also return if he overcomes a fractured thumb.

But it’s not only star batters that India may welcome back into the XI, with SEN Cricket’s Bharat Sundaresan pondering whether Ravichandran Ashwin could earn his spot back in the side at the expense of Washington Sundar.

Ashwin has taken 16 wickets across three Tests at Adelaide with best bowling figures of 4/55 and Sundaresan wouldn’t be surprised if he was named as a result.

“Ashwin's record in Adelaide over the last two series has been terrific,” Sundaresan told SEN The New Ball.

“I wouldn't be surprised if he plays, he bowls really well with the pink ball and he could come back in for Washington Sundar.

“But Rohit Sharma is back as well, and even though he’s not been in the best of form in the last 12 months, you’d still think that India’s batting just gets even stronger. 

“If Shubman Gill is not fit or the thumb hasn't healed - he still has a big bandage on that thumb so I'm not sure whether he'll be fit in 10 days’ time - then KL Rahul can just slot into number three because Rohit Sharma will open.

“Rahul can also go down to six for Devdutt Padikkal or Dhruv Jurel and I think Padikkal might have won that battle.”

Possible India XI for Adelaide

Rohit Sharma (c)  
Yashasvi Jaiswal  
Shubman Gill (if fit) or Devdutt Paddikal  
Virat Kohli  
Rishabh Pant (wk)  
KL Rahul  
Nitish Kumar Reddy  
Ravichandran Ashwin  
Harshit Rana  
Jasprit Bumrah  
Mohammed Siraj  

The second Test begins on Friday, December 6. Listen to every ball LIVE on SEN and the SEN app.