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cricket, Test Match SeriesDAY 2 OF 516-20 FEBDAY 1 OF 517-21 FEB
Live: India Vs Australia, 2nd Test - Day 2, Delhi | Live Scores & Commentary | IND Vs AUS | 2023 Series Join our telegram: https://t.me/billabombayofficial For queries: [email protected] PREVIEW: On Wednesday, two days out from his 100th Test, Cheteshwar Pujara had a longer net practice session than a couple of others who had started alongside him. After completing the customary sessions against spin and pace he headed for another routine post-net chat with the head coach Rahul Dravid and batting coach Vikram Rathore which was again longer than the ones that preceded him. It ended with Dravid giving him an energetic fist bump and a couple of pats on the back before sending a beaming Pujara back into the dressing room. For India, it was emblematic of what this Test would mean for one of their biggest contributors over thirteen years. Pujara himself was amongst the ones from both teams that has had a close look at the 22-yard pitch, with Cummins later saying that he was "not too sure" of what to make of it, apart from expecting it to spin. There haven't been other indicators to suggest otherwise as well with the pitch also remaining covered with a mat for large periods of the day. With temperatures staying low in the mornings, the early sessions could well offer some more assistance for movement apart from what's available off the surface. These factors, in turn, are set to decide some of the team combinations even as neither team finalized the team a day ahead of the Test match, different from the times when they were announcing the playing elevens 24 hours earlier. Another factor for not announcing playing elevens is that both teams are having players out of form. For India, with the lead in the series, there is room for giving more chances to the ones out of form whereas Australia will be considering multiple factors to decide their choices including playing the right players for the game. But the challenges would not be limited to that alone, if the pace off the pitch is slow as it was in Nagpur, it would require their spinners as well as fast bowlers to alter plans accordingly. It's easier said than done, but with India currently answering those tough questions adeptly, Australia cannot afford to be left too far behind. There's an opportunity to pick a few tricks from the opposition, but can they also get their executions with a short turnaround time? The answer awaits. The pitch at the Ferozshah Kotla ground is expected to play on the drier side. Traditionally the track has a tendency to be slow as well, which could mean that the batters may have time to adjust for the spin off the surface as well, thereby making it a little easier to bat on. Shreyas Iyer, returning after some time, has had a couple of practice sessions out in the days leading up to the Test without any issues. If fit, he's set to replace Suryakumar Yadav in the middle order. Australia's captain remained undecided about any potential changes to the team a day ahead of the Test match. Australia has had Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc doing some bowling in the lead-up to the Test but will still be thinking over their fitness. If available, however, the duo will add a lot of balance to the side, even as the question remains over the possibility of including a third spinner given the conditions on offer. Teams: India Team List: Rohit Sharma(c) - Shubman Gill - Cheteshwar Pujara - Virat Kohli - KL Rahul - Srikar Bharat(w) - Ravindra Jadeja - Ravichandran Ashwin - Axar Patel - Mohammed Shami - Mohammed Siraj - Ishan Kishan - Shreyas Iyer - Kuldeep Yadav - Suryakumar Yadav - Jaydev Unadkat - Umesh Yadav Australia Team List: David Warner - Usman Khawaja - Marnus Labuschagne - Steven Smith - Travis Head - Alex Carey(w) - Pat Cummins(c) - Nathan Lyon - Scott Boland - Todd Murphy - Mitchell Swepson - Peter Handscomb - Ashton Agar - Mitchell Starc - Matt Renshaw - Cameron Green - Lance Morris
2023-02-17
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