Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
Subscribe Now  
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts
 

India Vs Australia: Here is the probable India XI for Dharamsala Test

This is how India's Playing XI might look like against Australia in the fourth Test in Dharamsala.

New Delhi, March 23: As the third Test between India and Australia in Ranchi ended in a draw, the fourth and final tie is going to be a series decider as it is levelled 1-1 at the moment.

Series schedule</a>; <a href=Photos" title="Series schedule; Photos" />Series schedule; Photos

With the series evenly poised between the two teams, the winner will claim the series. The two teams would lock horns for one last time at HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, starting Saturday (March 25).

The momentum would have shifted into the favour of Australia after Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb salvaged a draw and kept the visitors' fourtunes afloat.

The mind games have once again spiked up, after Australia played for a draw on the fifth and final day of the third Test. With Australian media consistently attacking India skipper Virat Kohli for his aggression and calling him names every passing day, former cricketers have been attacking him.

The fourth and deciding Test will be held in the picturesque Dharamsala Stadium situated in the hilly terrains of the Himalayas.

Since, conditions in Dharamsala stadium have always favoured pacers, India, thus, face a bowling conundrum. The Indian team management would be brain storming heavily over what should be the winning combination in a must-win Test match.

Similarly, Australia too must be strategising whether to play three pacers or stick to their strategy of two quicks and two spinners.

Keeping in mind the Dharamsala strip and captain Kohli's penchant for not repeating the same Playing XI, one feels there will be a couple of changes in the Indian side.

The 28-year-old India skipper would be hoping to win the fourth Test and claim the Border Gavaskar Trophy and bring a happy ending to a 17 Test long season.

But some bad news came from the Indian side when the team management called up Mumbai batsman Shreyas Iyer as a cover for injured Virat Kohli.

Kohli skipped batting at India's net session ahead of the fourth cricket Test against Australia on Thursday. However, considering the importance of the fourth Test, Kohli, who is nursing an injury on his right shoulder, would come out to lead his side in Dharamsala.

Following was India's playing XI in Ranchi:

KL Rahul, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Karun Nair, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.

Here is how India's Playing XI might look like against Australia in the fourth Test in Dharamsala:

1. KL Rahul

1. KL Rahul

The young Karnataka batsman has been the second highest run-getter for the side in the ongoing series against Australia.

The 24-year-old has scored 64, 10, 90, 51 and 67 in the five innings of this series.

Rahul has been in a perfect nick against Australia and got off to a good start, but the right-handed batsman has failed to capitalise upon the good start and convert those fifties into hundreds. This must have hurt the young Karnataka lad who is still waiting to play a big knock at home soil.

Thus, Lokesh Rahul will once again opening the Indian innings at Dharamsala.

2. Murali Vijay

2. Murali Vijay

The regular India opener from Tamil Nadu came back into the side in the third Test after recovering from the shoulder injury.

He made the most of the comeback, as he scored 82 and felt 18 short of a well deserved hundred.

Vijay played exceptionally well in India's response to Australia's first innings total of 451 in the first innings. Vijay along with Cheteshwar Pujara batted with patience till the last over before lunch on Day 3 when he was stumped while attempting a big shot.

Vijay will once again open the Indian innings against Australia in Dharamsala Test.

3. Cheteshwar Pujara

3. Cheteshwar Pujara

The man of the match of the third Test match, Cheteshwar Pujara, who played a mammoth 11-hour knock in Ranchi has fixed his position at No. 3.

The Saurashtra batsman played a patient knock of 202 and consumed record 525 deliveries, most by an Indian batsman in a Test innings, to frustrate the Australian bowlers.

Pujara slammed his second double hundred against Australia and joined the elite club of Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman.

Before Ranchi, it was Pujara's defiant 92-run knock in Bengaluru which laid the foundation stone of India's win the second Test.

Therefore, he would once again be coming to bat at No. 3 in the fourth Test.

4. Virat Kohli or Shreyas Iyer

4. Virat Kohli or Shreyas Iyer

Young Mumbai batsman Shreyas Iyer has been called as cover for Virat Kohli. Iyer has been rewarded for his prolific showing in domestic cricket for Mumbai over the last two seasons. In fact, the attacking batsman hit a double hundred in the warm-up game against Australia at the CCI Stadium.

It is learnt that Kohli's inclusion in the playing eleven will depend on his fitness test conducted in the morning session.

The Indian skipper hasn't been in his best of form in this series so far, hence he must be desperate to play the last Test.

The 28-year-old has been in news more out of controversies and the injury he sustained in Ranchi, than his batting.

His bat has been silent against Australia, which has been his favourite when it came to scoring runs. The skipper couldn't breach the 20-run-mark in a single innings he has played so far in this rubber.

Scores of 0, 13, 12, 15 and 6 are not like Virat Kohli plays. One of the main reason for India couldn't dominate the Test series in this home season is because his bat is silent.

The No. 4 batsman will have to leave all the controversies and thoughts behind when he comes out to bat in Dharamsala and explode against Australian bowlers.

5. Ajinkya Rahane

5. Ajinkya Rahane

He's another vital cog in the wheel of Indian batting but just like Kohli, Rahane too hasn't been in his prime form against Australia.

Barring his performance in the second innings in Bengaluru, Rahane wouldn't be happy with himself.

He threw his wicket away in Ranchi, where he had a golden chance of scoring big.

The Mumbaikar would come out to bat at No. 5 in Dharamsala and one hopes he scores big in the fourth and final Test.

6. Karun Nair

6. Karun Nair

The young Karnataka batsman may have failed to make his presence felt in the last two games but the second triple centurion in India's Test history will get a chance in the fourth Test as well.

Nair couldn't perform well as expected in Bengaluru and later in Ranchi but team would want him to fire in Dharamsala.

The team management would keep him as an extra cushion of batsman because pitch at Dharamsala will favour bowlers.

7. Wriddhiman Saha

7. Wriddhiman Saha

The wicketkeeper batsman slammed his career's best Test hundred in the previous game in Ranchi. Saha stitched a partnership of 199 runs with Pujara to help India score 603 in the first innings.

Thus Saha would come in to bat at No. 7 in fourth Test and team would hope a similar performance from Saha, if the situation demands.

Also, Saha played a brilliant role from behind the stumps in Ranchi as India were wiser with their DRS decisions this time. He will keep giving his vital suggestions to the skipper the way he did in Ranchi to ensure India use their reviews well.

8. R Ashwin

8. R Ashwin

Like always, Ashwin will spearhead the Indian bowling attack in Dharamsala, from the moment pitch starts favouring spinners.

The most consistent Indian bowler in this home season has got one more match to play in order to touch some personal milestones and end the long home season at positive note.

As Ashwin bats well at bouncy pitches, his presence at No. 8 will also strengthen Indian batting lower down the order.

9. Ravindra Jadeja

9. Ravindra Jadeja

The No.1 bowler in Tests, who left his spin twin R Ashwin behind to climb at the top of the points table in the ICC rankings, will once again play a crucial role against Australia in the fourth Test.

Jadeja slammed a quick fire fifty in Ranchi and a team would hope for a similar cameo in Dharamsala if there is a need.

10. Umesh Yadav

10. Umesh Yadav

The speedster will once again begin the hosts' proceedings with the new ball as he's performed exceptionally well against Australia in the series so far.

The right-handed pacer, who is generating great pace and surprising Australian batsmen, will definitely fit into Kohli's scheme of things. He has taken 12 wickets in this series so far at an average of 25.

11. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

11. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

India's best swing bowler will once again get a place into the Playing XI, keeping the conditions in Dharamsala in to mind. His ability to swing the ball both ways makes him a lethal weapon in the seaming conditions.

Ishant Sharma who impressed all with his performance against Australia but managed to get just three wickets in as many game. Therefore there is high probability that will make way for Bhuvneshwar in the deciding game.

OneIndia News

Story first published: Thursday, August 3, 2017, 7:45 [IST]
Other articles published on Aug 3, 2017