India vs Australia 2020 Live score and last update of the second test in Melbourne: Hazlewood continues. Horrible confusion between the two batters, but thankfully India did not suffer any damage. Gill leaves the second installment he came back in, he wasn’t that far off the stump. Just one run over it. And that will be the end of the first day of play in the Boxing Day Test. The Indian bowlers, especially Bumrah (4/56) and Ashwin (3/35), were clinical and did a fabulous job of restricting Australia to 195. Gill and Pujara will be encouraged by the fact that they saw the Australian paced attack. . Gill, in particular, looked pretty confident for his 28 years after being eliminated.
Advance: Some bruised egos will seek redemption when India meets Australia in Test 2 in Melbourne on Saturday, set to bounce back in the Ajinkya Rahane reckoning hour after hitting the ’36’ nadir.
Rarely has an Indian team been at such a difficult crossroads in recent years as after the humiliating defeat in Adelaide and the departure of Virat Kohli for the birth of their son.
But the good news is that star-in-waiting Shubman Gill is ready to honor his team’s leap of faith in him when he makes his tryout debut at the mighty Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Similarly, the young workhorse Mohammed Siraj will temporarily step in to fill the void created by the injury of the crafty Mohammed Shami and will be about how Rahane, touted as a bowler’s captain, handles him.
Ajinkya Rahane will be the captain of India in the series in the absence of Virat Kohli. AFP
It is not about defeat, but about the form of capitulation that can come back to haunt a side that does not lack quality.
The next few days will be a test of real character and it is only fair that there is a strategic shift on the cards.
A couple of forced tactical changes and the same amount were always on the cards for the visitors as they face off against Tim Paine’s confident men, who are spending Christmas without their families.
Gill’s languid approach and that extra second as he takes on fast pitchers, coupled with a much tighter technique than Prithvi Shaw, could give the locker room the confidence it needs in trying times.
It will have the Mayank company Agarwal, who would like to make an encore, if not better, of his performance at a venue where he made his Test debut.
Similarly, Rishabh Pant, whose intention always brings much more security than a passive Wriddhiman Saha, is expected to play his fearless style of cricket, which is the need of the moment.
Pant was an instant hit during the last tour in 2018-19 but in the last year he had lost both form and confidence to give up his place in the white ball formats.
Amidst the ruins, there is a glimmer of hope as Ravindra Jadeja, who has fully recovered from her concussion and hamstring injury, will add a new dimension with her full abilities in a five-player setup of bowling.
Hanuma Vihari is expected to change to the batting order and experienced KL Rahul will have to wait patiently for his turn in the series.
The Australians are not known to take prisoners and an unchanged XI expected to play at the MCG will not take his foot off the pedal, patron Tim Paine insisted.
“Well we can’t pay attention to the mental scars or whatever they’re talking about,” Pain said on the eve of the game.
“We know that India is a proud cricket country, an extremely talented Test Match team with many dangerous players,” he added.
While Kohli’s absence can never really be made up for, Rahane would like to show his character by promoting himself in the batting order and taking more responsibility.
Cheteshwar Pujara may play his natural stubborn defensive game, but head coach Ravi Shastri could just tell him that there is no harm if the scoreboard is scoring as it will only take the pressure off a hitting lineup that will miss Kohli too much.
In Shami’s absence, Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav will have to be relentless and also guide a young Siraj, who is expected to feel a bit nervous.
Finally, the Indians would like to take that big step forward as they face Pat Cumins and Josh Hazlewood not only physically but also figuratively.
This is everything you need to know about the second test in Melbourne:
When is the second test of Australia vs India?
The second round of Australia vs India will begin on Saturday, December 26, 2020.
Where will the second round of Australia vs India be played?
The second round of Australia vs India will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
What time does the second test of Australia vs India start?
The second round of Australia vs India will begin at 5 AM IST. The drawing will take place at 4.30 AM IST.
Which TV channels will broadcast Australia vs India 2nd Test?
The second test of Australia vs India will be broadcast on Sony Pictures Sports Network. The game will also be broadcast live on SonyLIV. You can also view the updates live at Firstpost.com.
Teams:
Australia XI: Tim Paine (captain & sem.), Joe Burns, Matthew Wade, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Pat Cummins, Josh Jazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon.
India XI: Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (week), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
With PTI inputs
