Last Updated on 3 days by Charbel Coorey
Australia face a must-win game in Adelaide after losing the first Test of the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) by a whopping 295 runs. They have not won a BGT series since 2014/15, and have won just two of the past 11 home Tests against India. If there is to be a turnaround, it must be now as defeat in Adelaide means Australia must win all three Tests at the Gabba, MCG and SCG to regain the trophy.
Amid the questions around Australia’s batting, another spanner has been thrown into the works. Josh Hazlewood, Australia’s best bowler in Perth, has been ruled out of the second Test due to injury.
“Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the second Test in Adelaide with a side strain,” read cricket.com.au’s report on Saturday.
Australia possible 11 for 2nd Test against India at Adelaide
Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett have both been added to the squad. Abbott has 261 First Class wickets at 30.38, along with 46 white-ball experiences for Australia. The uncapped Doggett has 142 FC scalps at 28.63, including 6/15 for Australia A against India A in Mackay last month.
However, neither are expected to line up for Australia in Adelaide, with Scott Boland set to slot in.
Australia predicted XI for Adelaide Test against India: 1. Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, 3. Marnus Labuschagne, 4. Steve Smith, 5. Travis Head, 6. Mitchell Marsh, 7. Alex Carey (wk), 8. Pat Cummins (c), 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Nathan Lyon, 11. Scott Boland
According to cricket.com.au, Boland is “primed to come into the playing XI in Adelaide, having last played a Test match in July 2023 at Headingley during that winter’s Ashes tour.” Also, Brett Lee, in an exclusive chat with CricBlog ahead of the BGT series, said Boland is next in line.
“I think it’s a good question because he’s [Boland] probably a guy that would be next in line or sort of the next guy in the pecking order. The thing about Australia is that they’ve got three amazing fast bowlers that I don’t want to see rested. So guys like Scott Boland have to make sure that they’re ready,” Lee said.
Boland, who has 35 wickets in ten Tests at 20.34, can be tough to handle with the pink ball. He has the ability to seam the ball both ways, on display in the 2022 Test against West Indies where he finished with match figures of 3/45.
Will Mitch Marsh be fit to play?
All-rounder Mitch Marsh pulled up sore after the Perth Test, prompting the selectors to add Beau Webster to the squad. Marsh confirmed to Nine News Australia that he is right to go. “Body is all good, I’m good to go,” he said. However, it is still unclear whether he will bowl and how many overs he can offer.
If Marsh is not fit enough to bowl in Adelaide, will the selectors play him as a specialist batsman and leave the fifth bowling option to Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head? Or does Webster come in as a straight swap?
Webster has been outstanding in the Sheffield Shield since 2021, averaging over 50 with the bat in this period. He also bowls both seam and offspin. In fact, the 2023/24 season saw him become the second player in Shield history to score 900+ runs and take 30+ wickets in the same season.
ALSO READ: A look at Beau Webster’s numbers in the Sheffield Shield since the start of the 2022/23 season
Of course, the spotlight is also bright on a number of Australia’s batsmen. Marnus Labuschagne looked all at sea at Perth, while Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and debutant Nathan McSweeney all struggled as well.
Labuschagne is averaging just 23.4 since the start of start summer. The corresponding number is 29.4 for Smith and 30.6 for Khawaja respectively, while Travis Head has also endured a lean patch, averaging just 26.4 in this period.
It is expected the top four will remain the same. So much more is required from them if Australia are to bounce back in the series. It is easier said than done with Jasprit Bumrah at the peak of his powers. Australia’s defensive game will be in the spotlight as they aim to level the series.
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