India skipper Rohit Sharma will bat in the middle order with Shubman Gill and Ravichandran Ashwin joining him in the XI

Champion spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been recalled for the second Test with the prospect of Australia having to face Jasprit Bumrah under lights on day one now looming large after India captain Rohit Sharma elected to bat first at Adelaide Oval.

India have made three changes to their XI that won by 295 runs in Perth, with Rohit back from paternity leave, Shubman Gill returning to his No.3 spot, while Ashwin has been recalled as the lead spinner over Ravindra Jadeja.

Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel and Washington Sundar have made way. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been listed at No.7, above Ashwin at No.8.

Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

 

India: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj 

Keeping out star quick Jasprit Bumrah, who decimated Australia’s top order in both innings of the first Test, will be priority No.1 for the home side.

The right-armer took eight wickets and was borderline unplayable at times. With India getting the chance to bat first in the day time, the chances of Bumrah bowling with a brand new pink ball under lights has grown.

“I start from zero. It does feel good that you may have the edge over someone … but I don’t get cocky and arrogant,” Bumrah told Fox Cricket before play. “I don’t’ want to think I am the best in the world.”

Rohit suggested the Adelaide pitch was a good one.

“It will have some carry for the fast bowlers but as the game goes it will get better to bat,” he said after winning the toss. “There will be something in it for everyone.”

As expected, Australia named an XI with just the one change as Scott Boland was picked for his first international in 18 months, coming in for the injured Josh Hazlewood.

Pat Cummins’ men are looking to avoid becoming the first Australian team since 1988 to lose three consecutive home Tests, having gone down 0-1 in the series in Perth. They also lost the final Test of last summer at the Gabba to West Indies.

Australia have come under heavy fire for their performance in the opening Test but they can take solace in the fact they have never lost a pink-ball Test in Adelaide.

“Day one, pink ball – there might be a little bit of nip there for us,” said Cummins.

“It’s a venue we really like playing at. The pink ball can be a little bit different to the red ball. Everyone can look back at some success they’ve had in past games.

“We weren’t at our best last week but the preparation’s been really good and the boys are itching to get out there.”

The forecast has been revised to suggest Adelaide will not get as much rain as initially thought; the Bureau of Metereology is saying there’s a “medium chance of showers, becoming less likely in the late afternoon and evening”.

NRMA Insurance Men’s Test Series v India

First Test: India won by 295 runs

Second Test: December 6-10: Adelaide Oval, 3pm AEDT (D/N)

Third Test: December 14-18: The Gabba, Brisbane, 11.20am AEDT

Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10.30am AEDT

Fifth Test: January 3-7: SCG, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT

Australia squad (for second Test): Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Brendan Doggett, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar. Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal